Tejas combat jet test fires Astra missile

India's indigenously-built Tejas light combat aircraft on Wednesday successfully test fired homegrown air-to-air missile Astra. The test firing of the missile was carried out off the coast of Chandipur in Odisha, according to the defence ministry.

"The test-firing successfully demonstrated the direct hit of the missile on flying target," it said.

"All the subsystems performed accurately meeting all mission parameters and objectives," the ministry said.


ASTRA missile is designed and developed by the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO).

It is capable of engaging targets at a range of over 100 km.

The missile is equipped with advanced guidance and navigation systems that allow it to destroy targets with greater accuracy.

The missile is already inducted into the Indian Air Force.

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