Astra air-to-air missile test-fired from Tejas in ‘textbook launch’
Context
On Wednesday, Tejas, a light combat aircraft (LCA), successfully test-fired an indigenous Astra beyond-visual-range air-to-air missile off the coast of Goa.
What are the features of Tejas ?
Overview of the aircraft
- Indian single-engine, delta-wing, light multipurpose fighter aircraft HAL Tejas.
- For the Indian Air Force (IAF) and Indian Navy, the Aeronautical Development Agency (ADA) worked in conjunction with Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL).
- derived from the Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) program, which was started in the 1980s to replace outdated MiG-21 fighters but ultimately joined a larger fleet modernization initiative.
Naming and Characteristics:
- formally known as “Tejas” in 2003.
- classed as the smallest and lightest modern supersonic combat aircraft.
- designed to perform at supersonic speeds.
Operational Clearances:
- Initial operational clearance was obtained in 2011; final operational clearance was obtained in 2019.
- In 2016, No. 45 Squadron IAF (Flying Daggers), the first operational Tejas squadron, switched from using MiG-21s to Tejas.
What is Astra Missle and how is it different from other missiles?
- Name and Definition: The Sanskrit term “Astra” means “throwing weapon.”
- Type of Missile: Astra is a beyond-visual-range (BVR) air-to-air missile that operates in all weather conditions. This indicates that it is intended to engage and destroy aircraft targets at distances outside the pilot’s line of sight.
- Development: The Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), the top research and development agency under the Indian Ministry of Defence, is responsible for creating the Astra missile system.
- Range: The Astra missile family’s various variants may engage targets at various ranges. These missiles have a range of between 500 meters (0.31 miles) and 340 kilometers (210 miles).
- Integration: The Sukhoi Su-30MKI aircraft of the Indian Air Force have been equipped with the Astra Mk-1 missile. Future integration with other aircraft is also anticipated, such as the Mikoyan MiG-29, HAL Tejas, and Dassault Mirage 2000.
