Amid Chandrayaan Media Buzz, Here Are Three Significant Events In The Military-Aerospace Sector That Everyone Missed

Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) successfully conducted the historic landing of Chandrayaan-3 on the moon, making India the first country to land on the 'far side of the moon', yesterday (23 August).

Amidst the media buzz, three significant events in India's military aerospace sector unfolded, largely unnoticed by the nation.

Here are a list of those three events, that are crucial in India's pursuit of establishing an entirely indigenous military-aerospace ecosystem.

The first event is the successful maiden launch of indigenously developed Astra Air-to-Air (A2A) beyond visual range (BVR) missile from the indigenous Tejas fighter jet.

Developed by Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), the missile was successfully tested from a limited series production (LSP-7) prototype of Tejas Mk-1 jet, off the coast of Goa.

DRDO also released a six second video of Tejas jet firing the missile.

Believed to possess a range exceeding 100 kilometers, the Defence Ministry has already ordered 248 Astra Mk-1 missiles — 200 for the Indian Air Force and 48 for the Indian Navy.

DRDO is also working on developing a new, longer-range variant of the missile, called Astra Mk-2, which is reported to be equipped with a new seeker, providing better target detection and improved jammer resistance to the missile.

Moreover, the Astra Mk-2 missile is also reported to be equipped with a dual-pulse rocket motor for a larger no-escape zone (NEZ).

India is also working on another even longer-range variant called, Astra Mk-III, which will have a range of over 300 km and will be powered by a solid fuel-based ducted ramjet (SFDR) propulsion system.

(2) HAL Completes Delivery Of All Single-Seater Tejas Fighter Variants

Parallel to Astra missile test, Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) has achieved another significant milestone by successfully delivering all single-seater fighter variants of the Tejas Mk-1 jets to the Indian Air Force (IAF).

According to a press statement released by the Defence Ministry, the Chief of Air Staff Air Chief Marshal V R Chaudhari conducted a review of the Tejas programme.

"During the review, it was brought out that all contracted fighter variants of the LCA Mk 1 had been delivered to the IAF. Representatives of HAL assured the CAS of the timely delivery of the contracted twin-seaters in the coming months, as well," the release said.

(3) Operationalisation Of Newly Inducted Fighters To An IAF Airbase By Next Year

Furthermore, ACM V R Chaudhari indicated that a newly established squadron employing Tejas's single-seater fighter variants may commence operations from an Indian Air Force (IAF) frontline base as early as next year.

The Defence Ministry's release stated, "The CAS indicated that, the LCA Mk 1A could be inducted in a newly raised squadron in one of the IAF's operational bases, early next year."

The Squadron referred to by the Air Chief is likely to be the No. 18 Squadron (Flying Bullets) which is next in-line to operate the Tejas Mk-1 jets after the No. 45 Squadron (Flying Daggers) raised in 2016.

This development follows IAF's recent deployment of Tejas Mk-1 jets to a frontline airbase in Awantipura, Jammu and Kashmir.

This will help the jets gain some operational experience in flying over the valleys and mountains of the Union Territory.