Defence Minister Arun Jaitley inaugurates Aeronautical Test Range at Chitradurga

Union Defence Minister Arun Jaitley on 28 May 2017 inaugurated the newly built Aeronautical Test Range (ATR) of the Defence Research & Development Organisation (DRDO) at Chitradurga in Karnataka.

ATR will help in creating conditions for research which will in turn develop efficient human resource in the country in the field of aeronautical testing.

It will also contribute to the development of the region in which Chitradurga is located.

About Aeronautical Test Range (ATR)
• ATR is the first of its kind range in the country exclusively meant to conduct flight-tests of indigenous unmanned and manned aircrafts like Light Combat Aircraft, the unmanned air vehicles- Rustom-I and Rustom-II (Tapas); parachutes and aerostats, etc.
• This outdoor testing and evaluating facility was set up by the Aeronautical Development Establishment (ADE), one of the premier laboratories of the DRDO.
• Its Range Control Centre (RCC) houses the Air Traffic Display System with remote control of Radar operations, ATC RF Voice communication system, Ground Telemetry system, Mission Video Distribution and Display System and Range Operational Communication System.
• The Radar centre houses Primary Radar and Secondary Surveillance Radar (MSSR).
• Spread across 4029 acres, the 28 kilometre perimeter strategic test range will also have a two kilometre runway soon besides other tracking and control equipment where a rail link to the facility is also planned.
• About 200 acres of land outside the technical area is earmarked for a township with a shopping complex, school, hospital and transit facility.