OPERATIONAL
SCENARIOS
The
Akash
Group is extremely flexible in employment and
deployment. It is best employed as a Group.
However, Batteries can be employed on independent
tasks if required. This is called the Autonomous
Mode.
The four Batteries can be deployed in various
geometric formations, as suited to the vulnerable
area being protected and the extent desired
to be sanitized from enemy air threat.
Similarly, the Battery can deploy its launchers
in a way as to be optimal for target engagement
as the threat is perceived ab-initio or as it
evolves during combat. Mobility enables quick
redeployment and the sensors can be so positioned
as to achieve the optimum kill zone. |
Launch of AKASH MISSILE
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The Akash
Group and Batteries can protect static, semi-mobile
as well as mobile assets. These may be critical
national assets in the hinterland or large armour
formations thrusting into the enemy territory.
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The
GCC and the BCCs must be deployed in a manner,
which will provide a clear line of sight (LOS)
to the batteries, which may be placed upto a maximum
of 30km away from it. This requires the mast of
the communication antenna to be raised to the
required appropriate height.
The 3D CAR antenna
vehicle must be placed keeping in mind the screening
constraints. The antenna vehicle needs to be aligned
accurately by knowing its position and orientation
with respect to the north. This information is
made available to the CAR computer from ALNS.
Care has been taken to align the antenna with
the mounting of the ALNS and the system has been
calibrated. The leveling of the antenna needs
to be accurate in order to avoid any tilt, which
would introduce a bias.
The BSR is also provided with ALNS to measure
its latitude, longitude and orientation with respect
to true north. This information is required by
both GCC and the computer of the BSR.
The BLR is also provided with
ALNS to measure its latitude and longitude and
orientation with respect to the true north. This
information is required by GCC, BCC and BLR computers.
The ASPL is a mobile launch system for missiles.
It is based on a tracked vehicle and carries
three prepared missiles for launch. The equipment
operates fully automatically and is remotely
controlled by the BCC (Battery Control Center)
which may be upto 500m away. Control is effected
via radio or line links. ALNS system of ASPL
is also connected to its computer.
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Akash
has an advanced automated functioning capability. The
3D CAR automatically starts tracking targets at a distance
of around 150 km providing early warning to the system
and operators. The target track information is transferred
to GCC. GCC automatically classifies the target. BSR
starts tracking targets around a range of 100km. This
data is transferred to GCC. The GCC performs multi-radar
tracking and carries out track correlation and data
fusion. Target position information is sent to the BLR
which uses this information to acquire the targets.
The BCC which can engage a target(s) from the selected
list at the earliest point of time is assigned the target
in real time by the GCC. The availability of missiles
and the health of the missiles are also taken into consideration
during this process. Fresh targets are assigned as and
when intercepts with assigned targets are completed.
A single shot kill probability of 88% has been achieved
by the system taking into consideration various parameters
of the sensors, guidance command, missile capabilities
and kill zone computations.
There are a number of possibilities
for deploying Akash
weapon system in autonomous mode and in group mode for
neutralizing the threat profiles with defined multi-target
engagement scenarios. In the Group mode we can have
number of configurations to defend vulnerable areas
depending upon nature and expected threat pattern, characteristics
of threat. Similarly, multiple batteries in autonomous
mode can be deployed to defend vulnerable areas/points. |
