DRDO Conducts Maiden Trial Of Python-5 Air To Air Missile

Apr 28, 2021

DRDO conducts maiden trial of Python-5 air to air missile India’s indigenous Light Combat Aircraft, Tejas, has added the 5th generation Python-5 Air-to-Air Missile (AAM) in its air-to-air weapons capability

HYDERABAD: India’s indigenous Light Combat Aircraft, , has added the 5th generation Python-5 Air-to-Air Missile (AAM) in its air-to-air weapons capability. The trials conducted on April 27 were also aimed to validate enhanced capability of the already integrated Derby Beyond Visual Range (BVR) AAM on Tejas.

The test firing at Goa completed a series of missile trials to validate its performance under extremely challenging scenarios.

Derby missile achieved direct hit on a high-speed maneuvering aerial target and the missiles also achieved 100% hits, thereby validating their complete capability. The trials met all their planned objectives, the said on Wednesday.

Prior to these trials, extensive missile carriage flight tests were conducted at Bengaluru to assess integration of the missile with aircraft systems on board the Tejas, like Avionics, Fire-control radar, Missile Weapon Delivery System and the Flight ControlSystem.

At Goa, after successful separation trials, live launch of the missile on a Banshee target was carried out. Python-5 missile live firing was conducted to validate target engagement from all aspects as well as beyond visual ranges. In all the live firings, missile hit the aerial target.

The missiles were fired from Tejas aircraft of (ADA) flown by Indian Air Force (IAF) test pilots belonging to National Flight Test Centre (NFTC). The successful conduct was made possible with years of hard work by the team of scientists, engineers and technicians from ADA and HAL-ARDC along with admirable support from CEMILAC, DG-AQA, IAF PMT, NPO (LCA Navy) and INS HANSA.

Defence minister has congratulated the teams of DRDO, ADA, Indian Air Force, and all involved in the trials. Secretary department of defence R&D and chairman Dr G Satheesh Reddy appreciated the efforts of scientists, engineers and technicians from various organisations and industry.

Courtesy: TNN