JOIN USBalasore district administration sources said, the Beyond Visual Range (BVR) air-to-air missile was test fired from the launch pad number two of the premier missile testing centre at around 8.15 pm. A detailed analysis of the test is still on at the time of filing this story.
Meant to be used for fighter aircrafts belonging to both the IAF as well as the Indian Navy, Astra had its last successful test launch on January 11 this year. However, that test was conducted during day time.
The 3.8 meter long missile which weighs around 160 kg can hit a target at a distance of 80 km carrying conventional warheads up to 15 kg. One of the smallest missiles developed by the DRDO, Astra can be fitted to any fighter aircraft currently possessed by the Indian Air Force which included sophisticated ones like Sukhoi-30, MIG-29 and the Mirage.