Indian Air Force postpones trial series of Astra missile due to bad weather

Representational image (File pic)

BUBHANESWAR: The Indian Air Force (IAF) has postponed the trial series of visual range air-to-air Astra missile due to bad weather on Thursday.

The missile was initially scheduled to be fired from Abdul Kalam island test range, an island off the coast of Odisha on Wednesday.

The trial series will decide if the missile can be inducted into the armed forces by the end of 2017.

According to defence sources, the missile developed by Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) would be fired from Sukhoi-30 MKI fighter aircraft targeting an Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV).

The tests are aimed at validating the seeker of the missile. In other words, Astra series will assist missiles to track and locate targets.

The seeker has been fitted with weapon systems and is being put on trial for the second time.

The first successful trial of the missile was conducted in December 2016.