Vayu Astra loitering munition with 100 km range successfully tested in Rajasthan, Uttarakhand

NEW DELHI: Pune-based defence firm Nibe Limited has said it has successfully completed the no-cost, no-commitment (NCNC) demonstration of its loitering munition Vayu Astra, with a 100 km range, during trials conducted at Pokhran in Rajasthan and Joshimath (Malari) in Uttarakhand.

In a statement, the company said the demonstrations were carried out at Pokhran on April 18 and April 19 and at Joshimath (Malari) on April 26 and April 27. The Vayu Astra-1 loitering munition (anti-personnel variant) carried out its first NCNC demonstration successfully at the Pokhran range in Rajasthan, carrying a 10 kg warhead.

For capital procurements by the Ministry of Defence, product trials are conducted by the buyer on a no-cost, no-commitment (NCNC) basis, meaning the government neither pays for the trials nor commits to purchasing the products afterwards.

#WATCH | Nibe Group says – Nibe Group has successfully completed the no-cost, no-commitment demonstration of its loitering munition named Vayu Astra with 100 KM Range at Pokhran on 18-19 April 2026 & Joshimath (Malari), Uttarakhand on 26-27 April 2026.

Nibe Limited’s Vayu… pic.twitter.com/2jICaZoZ4x

— ANI (@ANI) May 21, 2026

The defence firm’s statement added that the system hit its target at a distance of 100 km in a single attempt, with a circular error probable (CEP) of less than one metre, and demonstrated abort-attack and re-attack capability. “The LM is based on an Israeli loitering munition,” the statement noted.

It further claimed that during anti-armour (anti-tank) night strike trials, the system successfully engaged targets using an infrared (IR) camera and hit within a 2-metre CEP in a single attempt. The company also highlighted that the capability of handing over control from the ground control station (GCS) to a forward control segment at a distance of 70 km was successfully demonstrated.

Separately, during trials in Joshimath (Malari), Uttarakhand, the Vayu Astra-1 loitering munition was tested for high-altitude endurance, reportedly flying for more than 90 minutes and completing missions at an altitude of over 14,000 feet. The company added that the system also demonstrated recovery capability after mission completion for subsequent flights.

Earlier on May 20, the Pune-based defence firm announced the successful test-firing of its Suryastra Universal Rocket Launcher system. The consecutive trials, conducted at the Interim Test Range (ITR) in Chandipur, Odisha, on May 18 and 19, met all mission objectives with exceptional precision, Nibe Group said in a press release.

The successful trials come on the heels of a critical purchase order awarded to Nibe Limited in January 2026 under the Indian Army’s Emergency Procurement window. The contract fast-tracked the development and supply of the Suryastra Universal Rocket Launcher, along with dedicated 150 km and 300 km range rockets. (ANI)