In yet another achievement in two days, the indigenously developed air-to-air supersonic Astra, was successfully fired from Su-30 MKI fighter aircraft and tested for a very long range at the Integrated Test Range, in Odisha on Thursday.
On Wednesday, two Astra missiles were launched when the fighter aircraft was performing high-g manoeuvres in two separate trials.
According to a Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) missile technologist associated with Astra project, the anti-aircraft missile on Thursday climbed to an altitude of 25 k.m. and went to a very long range after it was released at an altitude of 25 k.m. He said that the weapon system was evaluated under extreme conditions.
The control and guidance and all other sub-systems were validated at very high altitude and range as the missile zoomed at a speed of 4.5 Mach in the eighth developmental trial held on Thursday. After a few more pre-induction trials, the supersonic missile is expected to be inducted by next year.
The 3.8 metre tall Astra can carry a warhead weighing 15 kg and intercept and destroy enemy aircraft at supersonic speeds in head-on and tail chase modes. It possesses high Single Shot Kill Probability (SSKP) and can be launched from different altitudes.
