DRDO to undertake first full test flight of ASTRA missile

New Delhi, Jul 6 (PTI) In a major technology leap,
Indian defence scientists are ready to go ahead with the first
full test flight of its indigenously developed air to air
beyond visual range missile, ASTRA.
The test flight from an I.A.F. Sukhoi fighter aircraft
could be undertaken "anytime in the next 45 days", top
Defence Research and Development Organisation (D.R.D.O.)
officials said.
A successful test flight of ASTRA will plunge India
into a select group of nations to have such a technology. Only
U.S., France, Russia and China have so far produced such
advance missiles, which enables fighter pilots to lock-on and
shoot down enemy aircraft almost 90-120 km away.
Describing ASTRA as a futuristic missile, D.R.D.O.
scientists said the weapon will intercept the target at mach
1.2 to 1.4 speed. The missile has already been tested on
ground to prove its avionics, guidance and other sub-systems
including propulsion.
Any success with air to air ASTRA missile will come as
another milestone in defence research and cap recent strings
of success the D.R.D.O. scientists have had in building at
producing for the country -- short to medium range -- surface
to surface missile system capable of delivering nuclear war
heads at long distances.
The test firing of the ASTRA missile may coincide with
the second test firing of country's anti-missile missile,
which is also due by September this year.
The defence scientists are also near breakthrough in
test firing the country's first underwater launch ballistic
missile, Sagarika.
Sagarika has already been test fired from a pontoon,
but now D.R.D.O. is planning a full-fledged test of the
missile from a sub-marine and for this purpose may use the
services of a Russian Amur class sub-marine.
Planned to arm the country's indigenous Light Combat
Aircraft, Tejas, ASTRA after user trail by I.A.F. may now be
initially integrated with the SU-30 MKI and later with LCA.
Though D.R.D.O. scientist refused to give out the range
of the ASTRA missile, sources said for extreme high altitude
interdiction the initial series of ASTRA missile will have
90-110 km skill range.
But at lower altitudes of up to 30,000 ft the missile
will have a range of 44 kms and those launched at sea level of
up to 30 kms.
D.R.D.O. officials said ASTRA could also arm the I.A.F.'s
frontline aircraft MIG-29 and Mirage 2000 which are to go in
for mid-life upgradation this year.
Notwithstanding the test firing of ASTRA, the upgraded
Mirage 2000 are also likely to be armed with MBDA's new meteor
world-class air to air beyond visual range missiles.
Along with undertaking testing of various range of
missiles, the D.R.D.O. is pursuing with vigour new futuristic
missile technology based on hyper-sonic rockets.
Under this project, the Indian scientist are developing a
hyper-sonic vehicle which will have a dual use technology.
These hyper-sonic missiles with a speed of more than
Mach 5 can be converted as long-range cruise missiles of the
future.
"The laboratory trails are progressing well and when
finally developed this hayer sonic rocket systems can also be
used for launching satellites at low cost," D.R.D.O. officials
said.
The D.R.D.O. is also focusing on development of multiple
role missiles, under which a single missile would incorporate
precision guided sub-munitions which would attack multiple
target instead of a single target.