India’s first indigenously developed beyond visual range (BVR) air-to-air missile Astra was successfully test-fired by the Indian Air Force (IAF) on May 4, 2014, from a naval range in the western sector meeting all the mission objectives. The air-launch was captured by side and forward looking high speed cameras and the separation was exactly as per the simulation. Astra is India’s first BVR air-to-air missile indigenously designed and developed by the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), possessing high single shot kill probability (SSKP) making it highly reliable. Astra is an all-aspect, all-weather missile with active radar terminal guidance, excellent ECCM features, smokeless propulsion and process improved effectiveness in multi-target scenario making it a highly advanced, state-of the-art missile.

The Scientific Advisor to Defence Minister, Secretary, Department of Defence R&D and Director General, DRDO, Avinash Chander congratulating the team for their high competence and tenacity to make such an event happen seamlessly said: “Astra’s successful launch from the Su-30MKI combat aircraft is a major step in missile aircraft integration. Extensive flight testing that has preceded this air launch was indeed a joint effort of DRDO and IAF. This will be followed by launch against actual target shortly. Many more trials are planned and will be conducted to clear the launch envelope. Weapon integration with Tejas light combat aircraft will also be done in the near future.”

Dr V.G. Sekaran, Director General (MSS), who chaired the Flight Readiness Review Committee along with S. Som, Director, DRDL, P. Venugopalan, former Director, DRDL, among others, said: “This is one of the proud moments for DRDO and the entire country.” Dr K. Tamilmani, Director General (Aeronautics) who has overlooked the entire flight safety in the programme said that quality of integration and performance is of high standards and there was no doubt in the success of the launch. He further added that this is the beginning of the phase for demonstration of launch over a wide air-launch envelope. The Project Director Dr S. Venugopal said that “the air launch of Astra was perfect in all respects and is a culmination of years of effort by a very dedicated and competent team of the Missile Complex, Hyderabad, CEMILAC and IAF.”