• Indigenously-developed Light Combat Aircraft Tejas successfully test-fired an ASTRA Beyond Visual Range (BVR) air-to-air missile off the coast of Goa.

• The missile release was successfully carried out from the aircraft at an altitude of about 20,000 feet.

• ASTRA is a Beyond Visual Range (BVR) class of air-to-air missile system designed to be mounted on fighter aircraft. The missile is designed to engage and destroy highly manoeuvring supersonic aircraft. The missile has all weather day and night capability. 

• It has been developed by the Defence Research and Development Laboratory, Research Centre Imarat, and other DRDO laboratories.

• The defence ministry said that all the objectives of the test were met and it was a perfect text book launch.

• The launch was monitored by the test director and scientists of Aeronautical Development Agency (ADA), Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) along with officials from Centre for Military Airworthiness and Certification (CEMILAC) and Directorate General of Aeronautical Quality Assurance (DG-AQA). 

• The launch would significantly enhance the combat prowess of Tejas and reduce the dependency on imported weapons.

Light Combat Aircraft Tejas

• Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) Tejas is India’s first indigenous multi-role fighter aircraft designed and developed to meet the requirements of the Indian Air Force. It is a supersonic, light weight, all-weather aircraft designed for multiple combat roles. 

• The 4.5 generation aircraft has advanced avionics, glass cockpit, digital quadruplex fly-by-wire flight control system and large percentage of composite structures.

• The aircraft with delta wing is designed for ‘air combat’ and ‘offensive air support’ with ‘reconnaissance’ and ‘anti-ship’ as its secondary roles. Extensive use of advanced composites in the airframe gives a high strength to weight ratio, long fatigue life and low radar signatures.

• The IAF’s first LCA Tejas squadron, Number 45 the Flying Daggers, was raised in 2016.

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