Nibe Limited's Vayu Astra-1 Loitering Munition Trials
Nibe Limited, a defence technology firm based in Pune, has successfully completed technical trials of its indigenous loitering munition system, Vayu Astra-1, for the Indian Army. These trials took place in Pokhran, Rajasthan, and Joshimath (Malari), Uttarakhand, in April.
Key Features and Achievements
- The Vayu Astra-1 system conducted its first demonstration of the anti-personnel variant at the Pokhran Range on April 18-19.
- Equipped with a 10-kg warhead, the munition successfully hit its target at a range of 100 km, achieving a Circular Error Probable (CEP) of less than one metre.
- The system demonstrated the capability for abort attack and re-attack during the trial.
- The loitering munition is based on an Israeli-origin platform but has been adapted to meet specific operational requirements.
Advanced Demonstrations
- An anti-armour night strike was also executed using an infrared camera, successfully engaging the target within a CEP of two metres.
- The trial demonstrated the operational control handover capability from the Ground Control Station to a Forward Control Segment located 70 km away.
High-Altitude Trials
- Conducted at Joshimath (Malari) in Uttarakhand on April 26-27.
- The loitering munition completed endurance flying for over 90 minutes at altitudes exceeding 14,000 feet.
- Successful recovery post-mission completion was demonstrated, enabling the system's reuse for future operations.
Additional Developments
In earlier trials, Nibe Limited successfully conducted firing tests of its indigenous Suryastra rockets with strike ranges of 150 km and 300 km at the Integrated Test Range on May 18 and 19.
