LCA Tejas gets Python-5

On April 27, 2021, India's indigenous Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) ‘Tejas’ added fifth generation Python-5 Air-to-Air Missile (AAM) in its weapon inventory. This test firing in Goa completed a series of missile trials to validate its performance under extremely challenging scenarios. The trials met all its planned objectives. The trials were also aimed to enhance the capability of already integrated Derby Beyond Visual Range (BVR) AAM on Tejas. The Derby missile achieved direct hit on a high speed maneuvering aerial target and the Python missiles also achieved 100 percent hits, thereby validating their complete capability. DRDO tweeted, “Tejas, India’s indigenous Light Combat Aircraft, added the 5th generation Python-5 Air-to-Air Missile (AAM) in its weapons capability on 27th April 2021. Trials were also aimed to validate enhanced capability of already integrated Derby Beyond Visual Range (BVR) AAM.”