Indigenous Tejas fighter jet (Image for representation)
Credit: PTI File Photo
New Delhi: The indigenous Tejas Light Combat Aircraft Mk-1 on Wednesday successfully fired the Astra beyond visual range missile destroying a flying target, the Defence Ministry said here.
Carried out from Chandipur in Odisha, the test demonstrated the missile’s direct-hit ability on a flying target when fired from the home grown combat jet.
Designed and developed by DRDO, the Astra missile is capable of engaging targets over a distance of 100 km.
The beyond visual range missile is equipped with advanced guidance and navigation capabilities allowing it to destroy targets with greater accuracy.
The missile is already inducted into the Indian Air Force.
“The successful test-firing is a significant milestone towards the induction of the LCA AF MK1A variant,” the ministry said in a statement.
“During the test, all the subsystems of the missile performed accurately meeting all mission parameters and objectives,” it added.
The test was spearheaded by the Aeronautical Development Agency with support from the DRDO, IAF and HAL.
Earlier the missile was successfully tested from the first generation Tejas LCA aircraft as well as from Su-30 combat jets.
India’s LCA Mk1A manufacturing plan has suffered a setback due to US major General Electric’s inability to supply the engines in the last two years.
The first set of engines, according to sources, are to arrive this year following which the HAL will kick start the LCA Mk1A production.