India successfully tests Astra air-to-air missile

ANKARA

India’s indigenously-built Tejas light combat aircraft on Wednesday conducted a test launch of the homegrown Astra beyond-visual-range air-to-air missile, according to the Defense Ministry.

The test launch was carried out on Wednesday off the coast of Chandipur in the eastern state of Odisha, and the test-firing successfully demonstrated the direct hit of the missile on a flying target, the ministry said in a statement.

“All the subsystems performed accurately, meeting all mission parameters and objectives,” it said.

According to officials, the Astra missile is “capable of engaging targets over 100 kilometers (62 miles) and equipped with advanced guidance and navigation capabilities, allowing the missile to destroy targets with greater accuracy.”

"The successful test-firing is a significant milestone towards the induction of the LCA AF MK1A variant," the ministry noted.

Last month, India carried out successful flight trials of the first-of-its-kind naval anti-ship missile.