ISLAMABAD, July 24: The surface-to-air missile, Anza, test fired by Pakistan along with the guided anti-tank missile, Baktar Shikan, has been developed to match India's surface-to-air Akash missile, media reports said here today.Pakistan's inter-services public relations directorate in a statement yesterday reported the successful test firing of the two missiles, which it claimed were produced indigenously, at Nawshera firing range, 100 kms north of the capital.The statement did not specify the ranges of either of the new missiles but media reports said Anza had a range of 60,000 feet.Baktar Shikan, on the other hand, is a computer-aided guided missile system designed to destroy enemy's tanks. It has a range of four to six kms and also has the capability to hit its target in the dark.The reports said both the missiles with `fire-and-forget' capability have been developed to counter India's known superiority in the fields of combat aircraft and tanks.Defence Ministry sources said that both the missiles achieved remarkable accuracy. It is reliably learnt that the two missiles are likely to be handed over to the Pakistan army by the end of this year.Pakistan announced in 1989 that it had produced its first shoulder-fired Anza missile with a range of up to five km. It was not immediately known whether the missile fired now was an improved version of the one produced in 1989.Early this month, Pakistan test-fired the surface-to-surface Hatf-III missile with a range of nearly 800 km which brings major northwestern Indian cities within its reach. DRDO to develop advanced air-to-air missilesThe Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) is planning to develop an advanced medium range air-to-air missile (AMRAAM) - the Astra - suitable for arming the Light Combat Aircraft currently under development. The futuristic Astra could also replace similar imported missiles used on the Air Force MIG-21 Bis, MIG 29, Mirage 2000 and Sukhoi 30 fighter aircraft.The import of developing such an indigenous missile is that it enables India to carry out modifications and improvements for different configurations. This permits variations in matching the missile with the aircraft. Foreign manufacturers otherwise charge steep amounts for re-configuring their missiles. Aeronautical engineers told The Indian Express that this project is in the conceptual stage and will serve as a technological base for refining the design further and gradually making improvements.An Astra AMRAAM, following its successful development, could well replace imported missiles like the Russian R77 costing $ 450,000 used on the MIG 21 Bis and Su 30; the French Super 530-D costing $ 800,000 for the Mirage 2000, and the Russian R27R; which can only be fitted on the upgraded MIG 21 Bis aircraft versions. The beyond visual range Astra AMRAAM is projected to have a 100 km range and weigh 200 kg while carrying a 30-40 kg warhead. It will incorporate a radar making it an active missile working on the Ramjet principle. The Astra is likely to be driven by a solid propellant. The DRDO which has already displayed enviable missile propulsion capability will now undertake this project - essentially an import substitution initiative. The missile otherwise compares closely with the Israeli Darby, being similar in range and weight.
