The largest tranche came in July, in the wake of Operation Sindoor, with the DAC according acceptance of necessity -- or initial approval -- for 10 capital acquisition proposals amounting to approximately 1.05 trillion through indigenous sourcing.
A fighter aircraft's lethality in air-to-air combat is governed by the air-to-air missile that it carries. Since the Independence, the Indian Air Force has mounted French, Russian and British missiles on its fighters. On Sunday, an IAF Sukhoi-30MKI fighter conducted the first test launch of the indigenous Astra air-to-air missile, which the Defence R&D Organisation is developing at its missile cluster in Hyderabad.
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 IAF Sukhoi fighter aircraft could be undertaken "anytime in the next 45 days", top DRDO officials said.
The anti-aircraft missile, capable of ducking radar eyes and attacking enemy targets up to 110 km, was test fired from launch pad number 2 of the ITR complex at about 11.47 am, defence sources said. The test was conducted after an analysis of the data generated from yesterday's flight trial in order to further validate all major parameters, they said.
The extended range Astra Mark 2 would give India an edge over its adversaries and would add more lethality to its fighter jets in aerial combat, like the one which happened a day after the Balakot airstrikes on February 26, 2019.
India joins exclusive club of US, Europe, Russia and China.
The sophisticated missile, which has a strike range of over 70 km, can fly towards the target at a speed of over 5,555 km per hour.
India successfully conducted the third developmental trial in four days of its indigenously developed beyond visual range air-to-air missile 'Astra' on Monday from the integrated test range at Chandipur, 15 km from Balasore in Odisha.
The procurement will come at a cost of Rs 38,900 crore.
Out of the total 22 tableaux, 16 were of various states and UTs and six of ministries, departments and the National Disaster Response Force.
Air Chief Marshal B S Dhanoa said the IAF is "always cautious and alert" to check any untoward aerial movement on the border.
The massive exercise code-named Iron First 2016 would involve the participation of 181 aircraft departing from multiple bases, and demonstrate a synchronized aerial ballet that would showcase its deadly combat capability over the entire spectrum of aerial operations.
The nation celebrated the 71st Republic Day on Sunday with a grand military parade and exhibition of its history, cultural diversity and strategic weaponry at the Rajpath.
American armaments dominated the defence services's show of weaponry.
Defence Research and Development Organisation plans to make the country "missile import free" by 2022, the agency has told the Prime Minister's Office.
A model of Rafale jet will be showcased as part of the IAF's tableau. Models of LCA Tejas, Light Combat Helicopter (LCH), surface-to-air guided weapon Aakash missile and Astra missiles will also be part of the tableau.
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