Akash, BrahMos, Sky Striker Drones: Made-in-India weapons that destroyed Pakistan's defences

India.com

12-05-2025

Akash, BrahMos, Sky Striker Drones: Made-in-India weapons that destroyed Pakistan's defences
The world has witnessed the prowess of Akash, BrahMos and Sky Striker suicide drones during the recent operation against Pakistan. These weapons are milestones in India's defence sector. In the recent faceoff, these weapons have not only become the basis for breaking Pakistan's confidence, but have also raised India as a self-reliant and powerful defence power.
In recent years, India has made significant progress in the development of indigenous technology in the defence sector. Organisations such as Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), Bharat Dynamics Limited (BDL) manufacture world-class weapon systems. Now, India also exports defence equipment to other countries.
These weapons are known for their accuracy, speed and destructive power, and their role in the recent India-Pakistan tension was significant. Let us look at the features, importance, and role of these weapons. Akash Missile
It is India's indigenous surface-to-air missile system which is developed by DRDO. Thee is no doubt that this missile system has become the backbone of the Indian Air Force and Army. Akash Missile plays an important role in air defence.
The Akash missile is capable of hitting targets at a distance of 25-45 kms, and up to an altitude of 18,000 meters. It can destroy – fighter aircraft, cruise missiles, drones and ballistic missiles with an accuracy of 90 percent.
Recent Performance
India's Akash missile system successfully intercepted and neutralced multiple Pakistani drone and missile attacks between May 8th and 10th, 2025. The system destroyed a Pakistani JF-17 fighter jet in Srinagar, a Fateh-1 missile in Punjab, and several DJI military drones and PL-15 missiles. This successful defence highlights the Akash system's effectiveness as a crucial component of India's air Defence capabilities. BrahMos Missile
The BrahMos is built by a joint venture between India and Russia. It is considered to be the world's fastest supersonic cruise missile. This missile is used by Indian Army, Navy and Air Force. It is known for its speed, accuracy and destructive power.
The missile flies at a speed of Mach 2.8, which is about three times the speed of sound.
Its latest versions are moving towards hypersonic speeds. The Brahmos missile has a range of 290 km but in recent years its range has been increased to 900-1500 km.It can be launched from land, sea, submarine and air.
Recent performance
On May 11, 2025, India launched a series of military strikes against seven Pakistani air bases, codenamed 'Operation Sindoor'. The operation, which marked the first combat use of the BrahMos missile, reportedly caused significant damage to Pakistani airfields and infrastructure in cities including Lahore, Islamabad, and Karachi. Sky Striker Suicidal Drone or Kamikaze Weapon
India and Israel have collaboratively developed Sky Striker, a self-guided, kamikaze drone. This drone's key features are its precision targeting and its 'fire and forget' operational capability.
The Sky Striker drone possesses a significant loitering capability, enabling extended surveillance and precise targeting of small, high-value assets. Its payload capacity of 5-10 kg of explosives allows for effective destruction of such targets.
Recent performance
On May 7, 2025, Sky Striker drones conducted a precision operation, codenamed 'Operation Sindoor,' targeting nine terrorist facilities in Pakistan. These strikes, which included madrassas associated with Hafiz Saeed and Masood Azhar, significantly weakened Pakistan's terrorist infrastructure and military capabilities.