๐ Topic 03 of 6 ยท Chapter 02 ยท Defence Technology & DRDO
Prithvi, Akash, Nag & Astra Missiles
Surface-to-surface, surface-to-air, anti-tank, air-to-air missiles โ complete notes for UPSC & PSC exams.
๐ India’s Missile Systems โ Overview
| Missile | Type | Range | Key Facts |
|---|---|---|---|
| Prithvi-I | Surface-to-surface (Army) | 150 km | Liquid fuel; nuclear-capable; first IGMDP missile tested (1988) |
| Prithvi-II | Surface-to-surface (Air Force) | 250โ350 km | Liquid fuel; nuclear-capable |
| Prithvi-III (Dhanush) | Surface-to-surface (Navy) | 350 km | Ship-launched version of Prithvi |
| Akash | Surface-to-air (air defence) | 25โ30 km | Supersonic (Mach 2.5); indigenously developed; used by Army and Air Force |
| Nag | Anti-tank guided missile | 4โ7 km | “Fire and forget”; infrared seeker; HELINA (helicopter version) |
| Astra | Air-to-air | 80โ110 km | Beyond visual range; used on Tejas, Su-30 MKI; Mach 4.5 |
| Trishul | Short-range surface-to-air | 9 km | IGMDP missile; now retired |
๐ Akash Missile System
- India’s indigenously developed surface-to-air missile for air defence
- Range: 25โ30 km; altitude: up to 18 km
- Speed: Mach 2.5 (supersonic)
- Can engage multiple targets simultaneously
- Used by both Indian Army and Indian Air Force
- Akash-NG (Next Generation) = improved version with 70 km range
- India has exported Akash to friendly countries (Armenia, 2022)
๐ Nag Anti-Tank Missile
- “Fire and forget” missile โ once fired, guides itself to target
- Uses infrared imaging seeker to lock onto tank targets
- HELINA (Helicopter-launched Nag) = helicopter version; used on Dhruv helicopter
- NAMICA (Nag Missile Carrier) = ground vehicle version
- Can penetrate modern tank armour
โญ Key Facts โ Missiles:
โข Prithvi = surface-to-surface = nuclear-capable = liquid fuel = first IGMDP missile
โข Akash = surface-to-air = air defence = Mach 2.5 = exported to Armenia
โข Nag = anti-tank = “fire and forget” = HELINA (helicopter version)
โข Astra = air-to-air = beyond visual range = Mach 4.5
โข Trishul = short-range SAM = IGMDP = now retired
โข Prithvi = surface-to-surface = nuclear-capable = liquid fuel = first IGMDP missile
โข Akash = surface-to-air = air defence = Mach 2.5 = exported to Armenia
โข Nag = anti-tank = “fire and forget” = HELINA (helicopter version)
โข Astra = air-to-air = beyond visual range = Mach 4.5
โข Trishul = short-range SAM = IGMDP = now retired