Airforce testfires missile to target 'Lakshya' in air

Balasore, Mar 9: The Airforce today (Mar 9, 2006) testfired a procured Air-to- Air short range missile to hit an object from the indigenously built Pilotless Target Aircraft(PTA), popularly known as 'Lakshya', earlier test flown from the Integrated Test Range(ITR)at Chandipur-on-Sea, about 15 kms from here today.

According to ITR sources, the Unmanned Air Vehicle(UAV) was test-flown at 1106 hours and the missile was testfired from the aircraft by the Airforce.

But it was yet to be confirmed whether the missile hit the targeted object in the sky.

The sources said the Lakshya test flown today was a developed engine version, which had been used for aerial reconnaissance in the battle field,including target acquisition.

The 'Lakshya' aircraft had already been inducted into the defence force in 2000.

UNI