'
New DRDO test range 1
!
becomes operational
i
Our Bureau
Bangalore, Dec. 16
The country's .new Aero'nautical Test Range at Chitradurga got off the mark on
Wednesday with W t e r
plane Tejas dropping practice bombs. on a target, defence research establishment
DRDO has said.
DRDO hadstopped testing
activities at the old &-toground range at Kolar a couple of years back as it was in
the way of commercial air
tr&c of the new Bangdore
international airport at
Devanahalli.
Its replacement, the Aeronautical Test Range at Chellakere near Chitradurga, is
partially ready. The facility
will be used by all developers
of aeronautical systems in the
country, such as unmanned
air vehicles and electronic
warfare systems.
A MAJOR MILESTONE
Describing it as a proud moment far the scientific community, a DRDO release
citing the organisation's
A fiie photo of a DRDO tableau.
Chief Controller R&D (Aerospace), Dr Prahlada, said,
"The Challakere DRDO Test
Range became operational
with the first ever bomb testing experiments -of LCA,
though total infrastructure
and other logistic facilities
are yet to be completed; financial support in full form is
also awaited." The successful
tests signified a major milestone in aeronautical developments in the country, he
said.
'While work is going on to
set up the facility under the
guidance of the Aeronaufical
Development Establishment,
the National Flight Test Centre (under ADA) activated the
air-to-ground range for the
ongoing weapon and drop
tank jettison trials of Tejas
PV2," he said.
Tejas is an indigenous light
combat aircraft and its second
prototype, PV2, is undergoing
flight tests before it gets operational certificationshortly.