Indian Fighter Jets to get Mach 4.5 Astra Mk-1 BVR AAM

New Delhi: Indian fighters will soon be equipped with the local Astra MK-1 all-weather beyond-visual-range (BVR) active radar homing air-to-air missile (AAM). According to media reports, the Ministry of Defence has already signed a contract with missile maker Bharat Dynamics. The AAM is designed to be compatible with MiG-29UPG / MiG-29K, Su-30MKI, and TEJAS MK-1 fighters already in service with the Indian Navy or Air Force.

However, it will also be compatible with the planned two other Indian Army fighter jets – TEJAS MK-2 / MWF (Medium Weight single-engine fighter aircraft known as TEJAS MK-2) and AMCA (planned stealth, 5th Gen, multi-role, air superiority fighter) and TEDBF (planned canard delta wing, twin-engine, carrier-based, multirole combat aircraft).

The Astra MK-1 is India's first self-developed air-to-air missile. Its existence began in the current decade with mass production in 2017. The Indian Ministry of Defence has officially adopted the Astra MK-1 in 2019. The designer of the missile is the Defence Research and Development Organization (DRDO).

Astra MK-1 is the first variant of this class, and there are four more, which are: MK-2, MK-3, IR, and VL-SRSAM. The Astra rocket has the following dimensions: mass 154 kg [340 lb], length 3.84 m [12.6 ft] and diameter 178 mm (7.0 in). The warhead is high-explosive pre-fragmented, weighs approximately 15 kg, and is detonated by a radio proximity fuse.

After being launched from the fighter's launcher, the Astra MK-1 is powered by a solid-propellant rocket engine that burns the fuel/oxidizer mixture. The maximum operating range of the Astra MK-1 is 110 km [68 mi], flying at an altitude of up to 20 km. The speed reached during the flight is about 4.5 Mach.

Astra MK-1 has a guidance system built by integrating various capabilities, which include: a fibre-optic gyro-based inertial navigation system with mid-course update via datalink and terminal active radar homing.

(Defence Watch– India's Defence News centre that places the spotlight on Defence Manufacturing, Defence Technology, Strategy and Military affairs is on Twitter. Follow us here and stay updated.)