Balasore, Oct 3, SPA -- Akash, India's surface-to-air missile, was test fired twice at the Integrated Test Range at Chandipur-on-sea in the eastern Indian state of Orissa on Monday, The Press Trust of India reported. The multi-target missile with a striking range of 25 kmwas directed at an object attached to a Pilotless TargetAircraft (PTA) on both occasions, defense sources said. The sleek 5.6 meter long missile, with a launch weight of700 kg and capability to carry a warhead of 60 kg, blasted offfrom a mobile launcher at 12.50 pm. It was fired at the target for the second time at aroundone o'clock, the sources said. The test was conducted to prove its consistency duringthe entire flight, the sources said. The army and the Indian Air Force, who would be using themissile, had wanted it to demonstrate consistency during theentire flight. The sophisticated missile, which uses an integral ramjetrocket propulsion system and has low reaction time, operatesin conjunction with the indigenously built RajendraSurveillance and Engagement Radar being developed by theHyderbad-based Electronic Research and DevelopmentEstablishment (ERDE). The radar was capable of tracking 64 targets and guide upto 12 missiles simultaneously. The missile is part of India's Integrated Guided MissileDevelopment Programme (IGMDP) and developed by the DefenseResearch and Development Organization (DRDO). Compared to the US-made 'Patriot', the sources said'Akash' had better features. It was totally mobile and couldbe launched from a battle tank and had thrust during itsentire flight and the propulsion worked till it hit thetarget.--SPA1418 Local Time 1118 GMT www.spa.gov.sa/293910