India Successfully Flight Tests Astra Missile

India’s Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) has successfully flight tested the Astra ‘Air to Air’ guided missile on Sunday. The missile fired from the ground based launcher successfully intercepted the target in mid-air. Lakshya, the indigenously developed Pilotless Target Aircraft was used as the target. Astra is a ‘state of the art’, ‘Beyond the Visual Range’ (BVR) air to air missile being developed for the air force. Some more tests will be carried out from the ground launchers to generate data, which will be followed by launches from various aerial platforms, according to a DRDO statement. The single stage, solid fuelled 'Astra' missile is more advanced in its category than the BVR missiles and is capable of engaging and destroying highly manoeuvrable supersonic aerial targets. The 3.8 metre long missile, having a diameter of 178 mm with an overall launch weight of 160 kg, can carry a warhead containing conventional explosives weighing 15 kg. It can be fitted to any fighter aircraft.