India is all set to conduct a slew of tests of several indigenously-developed advanced weapons, ranging from air-to-air missiles and anti-radiation missiles to smart anti-airfield weapons and long-range glide bombs.
The tests of at least three weapons - the Astra-1 (100km range) and Astra-2 (160km) beyond visual range air-to-air missiles (BVRAAMs) as well as the new generation anti-radiation missile (NGARM) Rudram-1 with a strike range of 150-km - are slated for this month, defence sources said. The Astra-2’s “first live launch” will be from a Sukhoi-30MKI fighter after completion of its carriage and handling trials as well as “dummy drops”.
The Astra-1, already under production by defence PSU Bharat Dynamics after the successful completion of its user trials, in turn will be tested for the first time with an indigenous seeker instead of the existing Russian AGAT from a Sukhoi jet. The IAF has already placed an initial order for 250 Astra-1 missiles, which flies over four times the speed of sound at Mach 4. 5, to arm its Sukhoi fighters. The integration of Astra-1 with the Tejas and MiG-29 fighters is also concurrently under way. The DRDO is also planning to conduct the first test of Astra-3, based on the solid fuel-based ducted ramjet propulsion to enhance its range to 350-km, by year-end, sources said.
