Odisha: DRDO successfully tests high-speed expendable aerial target Abhyas

India on Friday successfully flight-tested the endogenously developed high-speed expendable aerial target (HEAT), ABHYAS, from the Integrated Test Range (ITR) in Odisha's Chandipur, off the coast of Bay of Bengal, DRDO sources said.

The vehicle can be used as an aerial target for evaluating various missile systems.

The performance of the target aircraft was monitored through telemetry and various sensors, including radars and electro optical tracking system (EOTS), the sources said.

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh congratulated Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) for the successful trial.

ABHYAS is designed and developed by DRDO's Aeronautical Development Establishment (ADE), Bengaluru. The air vehicle is launched using twin under-slung boosters which provide the initial acceleration to the vehicle.

It is powered by a gas turbine engine to sustain a long-endurance flight at subsonic speed, the sources said.

The vehicle is programmed for fully autonomous flight. The check-out of air vehicle is done using laptop-based Ground Control Station (GCS), the DRDO sources said.