Indian Air Force Test-Fires Astra BVR Air-to-Air Missile as Part of Pre-Induction Trials

The Indian Air Force has successfully test fired a home-grown Beyond Visual Range Air-to-Air Missile (BVRAAM), Astra, from Su-30MKI aircraft Wednesday.

The missile was test-fired from Air Force Station, Kalaikunda. The missile successfully engaged a manoeuvring target with high precision meeting the mission objectives. In the series of trials held to date, Astra has been launched in the complete Su-30 flight envelope, the Indian ministry of defense said in a statement.

The flight test assumes significance as it was part of the series of final pre-induction trials. Astra is the best in class weapon system and has undergone more than twenty developmental trials.

Astra is designed for 80-km range in head-on mode and 20 km-range in tail-chase mode. The 3.8 metre long missile, which has launch weight of about 154 kg, uses solid-fuel propellant and a 15 kg high-explosive warhead, activated by a proximity fuse.

Apart from Sukhoi, the missile can be integrated with Mirage-2000, MiG-29, Jaguar and Tejas Light Combat Aircraft (LCA).