Air-to-air Astra missile test-fired

Balasore (Orissa), Jan 11 (PTI) Indigenously developed
and beyond visual range (BVR) air-to-air missile 'Astra' was
Monday test-fired from the Integrated Test Range (ITR) at
Chandipur in India's eastern state of Orissa.
The missile was fired from a launcher in the launch
pad No. 2 of the ITR complex at about 9.45 am IST, defence
sources said.
After thorough data analysis of the flight test,
another test is expected to be conducted shortly, they said.
"Before being made fully operational, the complex
missile system will undergo some more trials, though tests on
its navigation, control, air frame, propulsion and other
sub-systems have been validated," said a source from the
Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) at ITR.
The single-stage, solid fuel 'Astra' missile "is
more advanced in its category than the contemporary BVR
missiles and it is capable of engaging and destroying highly
manoeuvrable supersonic aerial targets," the source said.
Describing 'Astra' as futuristic missile, Defence
Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) scientists said
the weapon could intercept a target at supersonic speeds
between mach 1.2 to 1.4 (mach one is equivalent to 1236 kmph).
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