but the chrome? tech should improve on the drag at greater than escape velocity, right?

Reduction in aerodynamic drag for a large angle blunt cone flying at hypersonic Mach number by heat addition into the shock layer is demonstrated in HST2 hypersonic shock tunnel. The heat addition is achieved by the exothermic reaction of chromium atoms ablated from the stagnation region of the chromium coated blunt cone with the atomic oxygen behind the shock wave. The measurements show about 47% reduction in the drag coefficient for a 60° apex angle blunt cone in a Mach 8 flow of 3.4 MJ/kg specific enthalpy. The reduction in drag is measured using the accelerometer based force balance system and the heat addition into the shock layer is identified by the surface mounted thin film heat flux gauges and the corresponding movement of the shock wave is visualized by schlieren pictures.

This paper deals with the effect of electrical energy deposition on the wave drag experienced by a 120° apex angle blunt cone flying at Mach 5.75. The experiments are conducted in the Indian Institute of Science (IISc) hypersonic shock tunnel HST-2. The electrical energy is deposited along the stagnation streamline of the model using a spark discharge system powered by a DC power supply. Drag is measured using a single component accelerometer balance mounted inside the blunt cone model. Illustrative numerical simulations are also carried out by solving the 3-D compressible Navier-Stokes equations, for complimenting the experiments. Results from the parametric numerical studies indicate a substantial reduction in drag (20%~65%) as a result of electrical energy deposition

escape velocity ?

Anti-satellite weapons

do you think missiles need to achieve the theoretical {escape} velocity to do that ?

what other options can one have...?

do you think missiles need to achieve the theoretical orbital velocity to do that ?

Army warms up to Akash missile



Ankit

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.

The concept of orbital velocity/escape velocity does not apply to self propelled bodies. They are more important to objects being hurled from the surface of the earth without any propulsive source to sustain their journey hence forth. A 'propelled' satellite/body can orbit the earth at whatever velocity it wants.

I have read of efforts to launch satellites using high power cannons. These satellites would need the escape velocity to egress out of atmosphere.

Noticed this image in the radar page of the akash site link that srai had provided.

They have used the image of a SR-71 . Wonder why.

I have read of efforts to launch satellites using high power cannons. These satellites would need the escape velocity to egress out of atmosphere.

Sunny i am 99 % sure that we have not exported yet nag atgm , wiki might be wrong on this

An Indian official said a country in the Middle East had shown keen interest in India’s anti-tank guided missiles, which are competitively priced and had been bought by Tanzania, Botswana and Morocco.

The land-based Barak 8 Air and Missile Defense (AMD) system includes several components. The battle management, command, control, communication and intelligence center (BMC4I) is produced by the MBT Division of IAI’s Missiles, Systems, and Space Group; it offers both stand alone operation for a single fire unit, and joint task force coordination (JTC). RAFAEL supplies the Barak 8 interceptor missile, which remains vertically launched. IAI ELTA Systems Ltd. supplies the Land-Based Multi-Function Surveillance, Track & Guidance Radar (LB-MF-STAR), a rotating S-band digital Active Electronic Steering Array (AESA) Radar System that can deliver an accurate, high quality arena situation picture, and extract low radar cross section targets like stealthy cruise missiles, even in the toughest environmental conditions. The naval MF-STAR is expected to be part of Israel’s next-generation missile frigates.

The follow-on Barak-8 project involves a land-based system, intended to replace old Russian systems. The DRDO Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) will be the ‘prime developer’ for the MR-SAM project, which will reportedly have a Rs 2,300 crore (INR 23 billion, $450 million) indigenous component within an estimated Rs 10,000 crore (INR 100 billion, about $1.93 billion) total. The 4-5 year project aims to provide India’s military with 9 advanced air defense squadrons, each with 2 MR-SAM firing units. Each unit, in turn, would consist of a command and control center, an acquisition radar, a guidance radar, and 3 launchers with eight missiles each. The total would therefore be 10 C2 centers, 18 acquisition radars, 18 guidance radars, and 54 launchers, armed with 432 ready-to-fire missiles.

India Defence reports that IAI and its Israeli partners have agreed to transfer all relevant technologies and manufacturing capabilities to India. Indian sources estimate a 4-year, $300 million System Design & Development phase to develop unique system elements, and produce an initial tranche of the land-based missiles.

Army warms up to Akash missile


Quote:
The IAF’s order last year for two Akash squadrons — dismissed by sceptics as a face-saving burial for the Akash programme — has just been doubled with a fresh IAF order for 16 more launchers that will be stationed in northeast India. And now, Business Standard has accessed even better news for the Akash programme: the Indian Army is considering ordering several Akash squadrons for its ground forces.

This is Yamerika's soft power.

What materials was it constructed with? Actually, it was the first true Stealth aircraft. It is composed of Titanium and Composite (plastic) materials. The landing gear is the largest piece of titanium ever forged in the world. The United States did not have enough Titanium to build the fleet and ironically, we bought the needed Titanium from Russia.

Finally ! This is good news definitely....but both IAF and Army need to order good numbers......50 squads each I guess.....given the delays in AD missiles/Barak.......

Maybe we should export Akash ......offer it to the Russians

srai:

1 Akash group = 2 squadrons = 4 batteries = 16 launchers = 48 missiles (96 including spares)

So, for a total of 7 groups, the max number of missiles = 336 (672 including spares).

Your count is twice mine. Are you stating that for each launcher, there are 9 spare missiles in addition to the 3 ready-to-fire ones?

...

Python and Derby are both air-to-air missiles. They are effectively being used as short-medium range SAMs in SPYDER.
In the similar manner what if we try to use Akash as a long range(heavy) AAM. It weighs around 700kg and should not be of such a problem for heavier type aircraft.
Though not in current configuration, a little tweaking like reducing weight(booster?), improvising/replacing sensors may do the trick.
I hope this isn't as silly as it sounds. Alas...we could turn prithvi into a BMD missile.

One of the chief problems for Akash is that it is based on a vintage 1960/70 SA-6 missile design. Currently, it is limited to 15g and M2.8 - both of which are far below the capability necessary for effectively handling modern threats. I would assume the next design iteration will try to address these two major shortcomings (maneuverability and speed) in the current Akash version. IMO, if possible, the target should be 25g and M4.0, which are more in line with current gen missiles.

per my understanding the speed quoted for the rocket-powered missiles (4 mach, say), which is the standard you are comparing with, is the highest achieved speed and not the average speed, which is much lower since powered flight is a smaller part of total flight-time.
the akash however, being powered throughout would have an average speed much closer to the highest achieved speed.
the case is similar for the G requirement. a rocket-powered missile is coasting during its engagement phase and has to have very high g limits in order to compensate for the fact that one shot is all it gets, if it misses once, the loss of energy can't be made up.
this does not apply to the akash which can use its still burning engine to literally 'chase down' a target.

The aft fuselage contains the annular solid propellant first stage booster, with a launch mass of ~172 kg and a length of 1.7 metres, using VIK-2 propellant. The igniter initiates a burn along the central 5.4 cm dia. cavity. The engine has burn duration of about 3 to 6 seconds and accelerates the missile from 0 to ~ Mach 1.5. Once the booster has burned out, it becomes the combustion chamber / nozzle for the solid propellant rocket ramjet. Four symmetrically placed air inlets feed into this chamber. Frangible fibreglass covers are used to prevent air ingestion prior to sustainer ignition.

The centre fuselage contains the gas generator fuel charge for the solid propellant ramjet operation. The 9D16K sustainer solid gas generator charge comprising 67 kg of LK-6TM reducing propellant is ignited and the hot gas discharge vents into the combustion chamber, where it is mixed with air to burn and generate sustainer thrust. Burn duration is ~20 seconds, during which the missile accelerates to a peak velocity of ~2.8 Mach. Russian sources claim that the sustainer cannot be throttled and as a result this limits choices in missile trajectories.

Akash uses a solid propellant ramjet engine used in SA-6 as well unfortunately it limits its performance severely. The Russians dropped the ramjet engine for SA-11, I am surprised DRDO did not follow suite and replace Akash when it was in development with solid propellant rocket motor as well .

Could you explain what the limitations are and why the DRDO may have chosen an independent path rather than the lets keep on copying the Russians path. I mean the DRDO are usually called stupid (their usual reputation) or original (the ROTFL interpretation) - which category does this belong to?