India's Tejas fighter aircraft successfully test-fires indigenous Astra missile

An indigenously developed ASTRA beyond visual range (BVR) air-to-air missile was successfully test-fired on Wednesday (August 23) by India-made Light Combat Aircraft Tejas off the coast of Goa. The entire light combat aircraft programme was reviewed by IAF chief Air Chief Marshal V R Chaudhari ahead of its upgraded version's deliveries from next year onwards.

The officials said that the missile, which is beyond the visual range of 100 km, was launched successfully from the aircraft at an altitude of about 20,000 feet.

"Tejas, Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) LSP-7 successfully fired the ASTRA indigenous beyond visual range air-to-air missile off the coast of Goa on August 23," said the defence ministry. It stated that they were able to meet all the objectives of the test and it turned out to be a perfect textbook launch.

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"All the objectives of the test were met and it was a perfect textbook launch. The state-of-the-art Astra can engage and destroy highly manoeuvring supersonic aerial targets," said a DRDO official.

Scientists and the test director of Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL), and Aeronautical Development Agency (ADA) monitored the test launch along with officials from the Directorate General of Aeronautical Quality Assurance (DG-AQA) and Centre for Military Airworthiness and Certification (CEMILAC).

ASTRA's test-firing will reduce dependency on imported weapons: Rajnath

ADA, DRDO, CEMILAC, and DG-AQA were complimented by India's Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and the industry was applauded for successfully carrying out the missile's test firing from the Tejas-LCA.

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh stated that the launch would "significantly enhance the combat prowess" of Tejas and "reduce the dependency on imported weapons".

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The Astra-1, which is capable of flying at over four times the speed of sound at Mach 4.5, is being produced by Bharat Dynamics after its user trials using Sukhoi-30MKI fighters were completed. An initial order for 250 Astra-1 missiles was already placed by the IAF, while an Astra-2 missile is being developed by the DRDO with a 160-km range.

Tejas LCA was described by ACM Chaudhari as the "flag-bearer" of the efforts made by IAF towards its aircraft fleet's indigenisation, while he was looking into the project along with top officials of DRDO, Hindustan Aeronautics and others.

Tejas is one of the single-engine multi-role fighter aircraft that can operate in high-threat air environments. It was designed for undertaking maritime reconnaissance, air defence and strike roles.

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