logo
DRDO, IAF conduct successful flight-test of Astra Beyond Visual Range Air-to-Air missile with indigenous Radio Frequency Seeker from Su-30 Mk-I

DRDO, IAF conduct successful flight-test of Astra Beyond Visual Range Air-to-Air missile with indigenous Radio Frequency Seeker from Su-30 Mk-I

India Gazette11-07-2025
New Delhi [India], July 11 (ANI): Defence Research & Development Organisation (DRDO) and Indian Air Force (IAF) successfully conducted the flight-test of indigenous Beyond Visual Range Air-to-Air missile (BVRAAM) 'Astra' equipped with indigenous Radio Frequency (RF) Seeker from Su-30 Mk-I platform off the coast of Odisha on Friday.
According to a statement from the Ministry of Defence, during the tests, two launches were carried out against high-speed unmanned aerial targets at different ranges, target aspects and launch platform conditions. In both cases, the missiles destroyed the targets with pinpoint accuracy.
During the tests, all subsystems performed as per expectations including the RF seeker which has been indigenously designed & developed by DRDO. The flawless performance of the Astra weapon system was validated through flight data captured by Range Tracking instruments deployed by Integrated Test Range, Chandipur. These successful flight tests have re-established the accuracy and reliable performance of Astra weapon system with indigenous seeker, the release emphasised.
Astra BVRAAM has a range exceeding 100 kms and is equipped with an art guidance and navigation system. In addition to various laboratories of DRDO, more than 50 public and private industries, including Hindustan Aeronautics Limited, have contributed towards the successful realisation of the weapon system.
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh complimented DRDO, IAF and industry involved in the design and development of the RF seeker and stated that the successful testing of the missile with an indigenous seeker is a major milestone in critical defence technology.
Secretary, Department of Defence R&D and Chairman, DRDO, Samir V Kamat, congratulated all the teams involved during the successful flight test.
Earlier this week, the Defence Research and Development Organisation developed a new, powerful howitzer, the Indigenous 155mm/52 Calibre Mounted Gun System, which can quickly shoot and move.
The DRDO lab, Vehicle Research and Development Establishment, developed the MGS. The goal was to develop a fully indigenous system that could operate effectively in challenging terrain and engage enemy targets quickly and accurately.
Speaking to ANI, Director VRDE G Ramamohana Rao said, 'This is a 155mm/52 calibre gun. Such guns already exist, but they are towed separately and take time to deploy. Our MGS is different. It is quick, just 80 seconds to deploy and 85 seconds to move. It is fully made in India and can also be exported to other countries'
High mobility Artillery was a technology gap that needed to be addressed, for which the Mounted Gun System (MGS) was a viable solution. Accordingly, VRDE has taken up a Technology Demonstrator Project, 'Design and Development of 155mm/52 calibre Mounted Gun System (MGS) based on ATAGS'. (ANI)
Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

India successfully tests UAV-launched precision guided missile ULPGM-V3 in Andhra Pradesh
India successfully tests UAV-launched precision guided missile ULPGM-V3 in Andhra Pradesh

Hans India

time25 minutes ago

  • Hans India

India successfully tests UAV-launched precision guided missile ULPGM-V3 in Andhra Pradesh

In a significant boost to India's indigenous defence capabilities, the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) on Friday successfully carried out flight trials of the UAV-Launched Precision Guided Missile (ULPGM)-V3 at the National Open Area Range (NOAR) in Kurnool, Andhra Pradesh. Announcing the achievement on social media platform X, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh wrote: 'In a major boost to India's defence capabilities, @DRDO_India has successfully carried out flight trials of UAV Launched Precision Guided Missile (ULPGM)-V3 in the National Open Area Range (NOAR), test range in Kurnool, Andhra Pradesh. Congratulations to DRDO and the industry partners, DcPPs, MSMEs and Start-ups for the development and successful trials of the ULPGM-V3 system. This success proves that the Indian industry is now ready to absorb and produce critical Defence Technologies.' While detailed specifications of the ULPGM-V3 remain classified, its development is part of a clear technological trajectory in India's guided missile programme. Earlier, ULPGM-V2 was developed by DRDO's Terminal Ballistics Research Laboratory (TBRL), featuring multiple warhead configurations. The evolution toward UAV-launched, extended-range munitions, unveiled at Aero India 2025, includes sophisticated enhancements such as imaging infrared (IIR) seekers and dual-thrust propulsion systems, features likely present in the V3 variant. The successful test reflects India's growing focus on unmanned precision strike capabilities, a key area in modern warfare strategy. ULPGM systems are designed to be lightweight, precise, and compatible with various aerial platforms, providing strategic flexibility in combat environments. The choice of NOAR in Kurnool for the trial is consistent with DRDO's strategy of using the facility to validate cutting-edge technologies. The range has recently hosted successful trials of high-energy laser-based Directed Energy Weapons (DEWs), including systems that neutralised fixed-wing UAVs and swarm drones, demonstrating India's expanding high-tech testing infrastructure. The successful trial marks another step forward in the nation's push for self-reliance in critical defence technologies, powered by collaborative efforts between DRDO, private industry and MSMEs.

DRDO test-fires drone-launched missile
DRDO test-fires drone-launched missile

Time of India

time2 hours ago

  • Time of India

DRDO test-fires drone-launched missile

(You can now subscribe to our (You can now subscribe to our Economic Times WhatsApp channel A drone-launched precision guided missile has been successfully test-fired by the Defence Research and Development Organisation ( DRDO ) at a test range in Andhra Minister Rajnath Singh said on Friday that the flight trials were carried out in Kurnool "In a major boost to India's defence capabilities, @DRDO_India has successfully carried out flight trials of UAV Launched Precision Guided Missile (ULPGM)-V3 in the National Open Area Range (NOAR), test range in Kurnool, Andhra Pradesh," Singh said in a social media post.

India's space sector evolved; primed for job creation, investments: IAFI President Bharat Bhatia
India's space sector evolved; primed for job creation, investments: IAFI President Bharat Bhatia

Time of India

time17 hours ago

  • Time of India

India's space sector evolved; primed for job creation, investments: IAFI President Bharat Bhatia

New Delhi: Bharat Bhatia , President of ITU-APT Foundation of India ( IAFI ) on Thursday applauded the opening up of the Indian space sector and said that it holds immense potential for job creation and new investments. IAFI held its 2nd India Space Policy Conference here in the national capital. According to IAFI website, it is working for last 20 years with the prime objective of encouraging involvement of professionals, corporate, public and private sector industries, R&D organizations, academic institutions, and such other agencies engaged in development of ICT sector, in the activities of the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) and the Asia Pacific Telecommunity (APT). "India has opened up the space to the private sector and the way the policy has evolved, it is going to bring in a lot of new jobs, a lot of new investment," Bhatia told ANI. In India, the space sector has been liberalised and private sector allowed to carry out end to end space activities. Indian National Space Promotion and Authorization Centre (IN-SPACe) was created in Department of Space for promoting, authorising and overseeing the activities of Non-Government Entities (NGEs) in space sector. The number of Space Start-Ups in India have gone up, from just 1 in 2014 to around 266 as of end of 2024, government data showed. "We believe just like what's happening in the US, we will have a lot of Indian companies working in the area of space and creating a lot of opportunities for it is going to provide a lot of job opportunities," he supplemented. He also termed TRAI recommendations on opening up the communications sector as "pro industry ". "India has been working on a policy framework for opening the communication sector to the private and the TRAI has given the recommendations earlier this year in May, and DoT (Department of Telecommunications) is now trying to finalise those recommendations. These are very good recommendations actually. They are very pro industry," he said. Noting that a significant portion of remote places in India still remains unconnected, he said satellite internet services will help connect them. Dr Laura Roberti, Director for Spectrum and Market Access in Telesat, said there is a "strong wish, a desire, a need for satellite services, for additional satellite services in India." Tony Azzarelli of OneWeb said they have been working on providing services in India, pending regulatory approval. "We've been very busy for the past 2 years to provide services in India. We're just waiting for the final touches of the regulations, which are actually very important," he told ANI. In countries like India in general, he said there is room for all the players, both the GSO and non-GSO players. Satellite telecom in India will help the country provide much-needed services in remote interior places where conventional telecom services tend to be costly.

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store