DRDO empowers India

• IAF CONDUCTS FIVE TRIALS OF AIR-TO-AIR MISSILE ASTRA
  LCA (NAVY) MAKES ARRESTED LANDING
  LOW WEIGHT, FIRE & FORGET MAN PORTABLE ANTITANK GUIDED MISSILE TESTED
  DRDO HANDS OVER SECOND INDIGENOUS AEW&C SYSTEM TO INDIAN AIR FORCE
  QUICK REACTION MISSILE TEST-FIRED
  INDIAN NEUTRALISES LIVE SATELLITE IN LOW EARTH ORBIT
  FINAL OPERATIONAL CLEARNCE OF LCA TEJAS MK I FOR INDIAN AIR FORCE
  DRDO'S IGNITER COMPLEX AT HEMRL, PUNE
  SUCCESSFUL LAUNCH OF TWO BRAHMOS MISSILES FROM LAND AND AIR PLATFORMS
  SUCCESSFUL FLIGHT TEST OF TWO PINAKA MISSILES IN SALVO MODE
  QUICK REACTION SURFACE TO AIR MISSILE SUCCESSFULLY FLIGHT-TESTED OFF ODISHA COAST

2019 was a year full of remarkable events for Ministry of Defence. In a landmark decision with tremendous reform in higher defence management in the country, the Government had approved to create the post of Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) in the rank of a four-star General with salary and perquisites equivalent to a Service Chief.

DRDO empowered India by carrying out the country's first anti-satellite (ASAT) missile test -- Mission Shakti -- apart from successfully developing several important projects like Light Combat Aircraft for Indian Navy, Beyond Visual Range Air-to-Air Missile (BVRAAM) Astra from Su-30 MKI platform.

This year, DRDO chief G. Sateesh Reddy has set a target to achieve self-reliance in missiles, radars, sonars, torpedoes, armaments and early warning systems. He has stated that DRDO intends to have no import for these systems in five years.

DRDO flight-tested Beyond Visual Range Air-to-Air Missile (BVRAAM) Astra from Su-30 MKI platform off the coast of Chandipur in Odisha from September 16 to 19. The five trials conducted during this period, tested missiles in different configurations.

Three missiles were launched in combat configuration with warheads and neutralised manoeuvring targets to establish the end-game capability of the missile. The tests were successful.

The first ever arrested landing of Light Combat Aircraft at INS Hansa ,the Indian naval air station in Goa, took place on September 13.

The test will pave the way for the indigenous platform to undertake aircraft carrier landing demonstration on board the Indian Naval aircraft carrier Vikramaditya.

DRDO flight tested indigenously developed low weight, fire and forget man-portable anti-tank guided missile on September 11 in Andhra Pradesh.

The missile was launched from a man-portable tripod launcher on the target mimicking a functional tank.