Huge boost to India’s fire power! Tejas, India’s indigenous Light Combat Aircraft, added the 5th generation Python-5 Air-to-Air Missile (AAM) in its weapons capability yesterday, 27th April 2021.
Trials were also aimed to validate enhanced capability of already integrated Derby Beyond Visual Range (BVR) AAM.
The Rafael Python is a family of air-to-air missiles (AAMs) built by the Israeli weapons manufacturer Rafael Advanced Defense Systems, formerly RAFAEL Armament Development Authority.
The Python-5 is currently the most capable air-to-air missile in Israel’s inventory and one of the most advanced AAMs in the world. As a beyond-visual-range missile, it is capable of “lock-on after launch” (LOAL), and has full-sphere/all-direction (including rearward) attack ability.
Tejas, India's indigenous Light Combat Aircraft, added the 5th generation Python-5 Air-to-Air Missile (AAM) in its weapons capability yesterday, 27th April 2021. Trials were also aimed to validate enhanced capability of already integrated Derby Beyond Visual Range (BVR) AAM. pic.twitter.com/HrvtlGefVZ
— DRDO (@DRDO_India) April 28, 2021
The missile features an advanced seeker which includes an electro-optical and image infrared homing seeker which scans the target area for hostile aircraft, then locks-on for terminal chase. With a total of eighteen control surfaces and careful design, the resulting missile is supposed to be as maneuverable as any other air-to-air missiles with thrust vectoring nozzles.
The Python-5 was first used in combat during the 2006 Lebanon War, when it was used by F-16 Fighting Falcons to destroy two Iranian-made Ababil UAVs used by the Hezbollah
