Astra BVRAAM undergoes second day of tests
21 May 2011
Balasore, Orissa: India's indigenously developed Astra beyond-visual-range air–to-air missile (BVRAAM) was successfully test-fired for the second consecutive day from the Integrated Test Range Chandipur-on-Sea in Orissa on Saturday.
''The missile was test-fired at 1032 hrs and the trial was successful,'' Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) sources said.
The missile is designed to intercept and destroy enemy aircraft at supersonic speeds in the head-on mode at a range of 80 km and in tail-chase mode at 20 km.
''Before the sophisticated anti-aircraft missile would be integrated with fighter aircraft like the Su-30 MKI, the MiG-29 and the Light Combat Aircraft Tejas, it would undergo some rigorous and flawless tests both from ground and fighter jets,'' a scientist associated with the project was quoted as saying.
Astra, which uses solid propellant, can carry a conventional warhead of 15 kg. It is the smallest of the missiles developed by the DRDO in terms of size and weight.
DRDO officials say it will be more advanced than similar class of missiles from the United States, Russia and France.
The missile's captive flight tests with the Su-30MKI were carried out from the IAF's Pune air base in November 2009 when seven sorties were conducted.
Astra's first flight trial took place on 9 May 2003 from the ITR at Chandipur.
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