Astra MK-I Air-to-Air Missile: Features, strategic significance

The Ministry of Defence has signed a contract with Bharat Dynamics Ltd (BDL) for the supply of the Astra Mark-1for deployment on fighter jets of the Indian Air Force and Indian Navy.


Astra Missile

The Astra Mk-1 is a beyond visual range (BVR), air-to-air missile (AAM).

The Astra project was officially launched in the early 2000s with defined parameters and proposed future variants.

The missile has been designed and developed by the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO).

It will be deployed on fighter jets like Sukhoi-30 MKI and Tejas of the IAF and the Mig-29K of the Navy.

BVM missiles are capable of engaging beyond the range of 20 nautical miles or 37 kilometres.


Range and its Variants

While the range for Astra Mk-1 is around 110 km, the Mk-2 with a range over 150 km is under development and Mk-3 version with a longer range is being envisaged.

One more version of Astra, with a range smaller than Mk-1 is also under development.


Strategic significance

The missile has been designed based on requirements specified by the IAF for BVR as well as close-combat engagement, reducing the dependency on foreign sources.

AAMs with BVR capability provides large stand-off ranges to own fighter aircraft.

It can neutralise adversary airborne assets without exposing adversary air defence measures.

Stand-off range means the missile is launched at a distance sufficient to allow the attacking side to evade defensive fire from the target.

Astra is technologically and economically superior to many such imported missile

The missile can travel at speeds more than four times that of sound and can reach a maximum altitude of 20 km, making it extremely flexible for air combat.