India Tejas aircraft successfully tests Astra air-to-air missile.

As reported by India Today on August 23, 2023, India's defense sector achieved a successful test launch of the long-range air-to-air missile Astra from the indigenous Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) Tejas, off the coast of Goa. This successful test underscores India's advancements in defense technology and its ongoing efforts to enhance self-sufficiency in defense systems.

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  Astra is an all-weather, beyond-visual-range, active radar homing air-to-air missile, developed by the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO). It is the first air-to-air missile developed by India. (Picture source: Wikimedia)

The Astra missile, a result of collaboration between the Defence Research and Development Laboratory (DRDL), Research Centre Imarat (RCI), and other DRDO laboratories, is an advanced air-to-air missile designed to engage and neutralize agile supersonic aerial targets at long ranges. The success of this test launch demonstrates the technological strides made in both the aircraft and the missile system.

Astra is an all-weather beyond-visual-range active radar homing air-to-air missile, developed by the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO). It is the first air-to-air missile developed by India. Astra is designed to be capable of engaging targets at varying ranges and altitudes allowing for engagement of both short-range targets at a distance of 10 km (6.2 miles) and long-range targets up to a distance of 110 km (68 miles). Astra has already been integrated with Indian Air Force's Sukhoi Su-30MkI and will be integrated with Dassault Mirage 2000, and Mikoyan MiG-29 in the future. Limited series production of Astra missiles began in 2017.

The test launch was conducted at an altitude of approximately 20,000 feet, with the missile being released from the Tejas aircraft. The mission objectives were successfully met, highlighting the precision engineering and technological expertise involved in the project. This achievement underscores India's ability to independently develop and deploy advanced defense technology, aligning with the goals of the "Aatmanirbhar Bharat" (Made in India) program.

The HAL Tejas is an Indian single-seat, single-jet engine, multi-role light fighter designed by the Aeronautical Development Agency (ADA) and Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) for the Indian Air Force and Navy. The aircraft has a tail-less compound delta-wing configuration, which gives it high maneuverability. It came from the Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) program, which began in the 1980s to replace India's aging MiG-21 fighters. LCA was officially named "Tejas" in 2003, meaning "Radiant" in Sanskrit by the then Prime Minister Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee.

HAL Tejas is an Indian single-seat, single-jet engine, multi-role light fighter designed by the Aeronautical Development Agency (ADA) and Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) for the Indian Air Force and Navy. (Picture source: Wikimedia)

Collaborative efforts from various defense organizations, including the Aeronautical Development Agency (ADA), Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL), the Centre for Military Airworthiness and Certification (CEMILAC), and the Directorate General of Aeronautical Quality Assurance (DG-AQA), played a crucial role in the development and testing of the ASTRA missile. This inter-agency coordination was essential for the successful execution of the test launch.

The accomplishment of launching the ASTRA missile from the Tejas-LCA platform is expected to enhance the combat capabilities of the Tejas aircraft and potentially contribute to India's overall defense capabilities. This achievement demonstrates India's incremental progress toward achieving greater self-reliance in defense technology and manufacturing.