Astra (missile)

Astra
Astra
	Astra Mk-1
Type	Beyond-visual-range air-to-air missile
Place of origin	India
Service history
In service	2019–present
Used by	Indian Air Force; Indian Navy;
Wars	India-Pakistan Conflict 2025
Production history
Designer	Defence Research and Development Laboratory (DRDO)
Manufacturer	Bharat Dynamics Limited
Unit cost	₹7−8 crore (US$−950,000)
Produced	2017 — Present
Variants	Mk-1 (Operational); Mk-2 (LSP); Mk-3 (Trial-phase); VL-SRSAM (Trial-phase);
Specifications
Mass	154 kg (340 lb)
Length	3.84 m (12.6 ft)
Diameter	178 mm (7.0 in)
Warhead	High-explosive pre-fragmented HMX/PU
Warhead weight	15 kg (33 lb)
Detonation; mechanism	Mk-1: Radio proximity fuze; ; Mk-2: Optical proximity fuze;
Engine	Mk 1: Solid-propellant rocket; Mk.2: Dual-thrust pulsed rocket motor; Mk.3: Solid Fuel Ducted Ramjet;
Propellant	Solid fuel
Operational; range	Mk-1: 110 km (68 mi); Mk-2: 160 km (99 mi); Mk-3: 350 km (220 mi);
Flight ceiling	20 km (66,000 ft)
Maximum speed	Mach 4.5 (Astra Mk 1)
Guidance; system	Mid-course: Fibre-optic gyro based inertial navigation system with mid-course update via datalink. ; Terminal: Active radar homing
Launch; platform	Su-30MKI; MiG-29K; Tejas Mk.1/1A; MiG-29UPG (Trial-phase); HAL Tejas Mk2 (Planned); AMCA (Planned); TEDBF (Planned); Rafale Marine (Planned);
References

Astra (Sanskrit: "Weapon") is an Indian family of all weather beyond-visual-range air-to-air missile (BVRAAM) developed by the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) for the Indian Air Force and the Indian Navy. Multiple variants of this missile has been developed with engagement range varying from 500 m (0.31 mi) to 340 km (210 mi).^[15] Astra Mk-1 has been integrated with the Sukhoi Su-30MKI fleet.^[9]^[16] The missile will be integrated with the entire fighter fleet except Dassault Mirage 2000 of the Indian Air Force as well as the Rafale fleet of the Navy.^[8] In 2024, the missile was cleared for full production.^[17]

^ Aroor, Shiv (24 March 2018). "How India's ASTRA Air-To-Air Missile Is Quietly Killing It". Livefist Defence. Retrieved 30 August 2020.
^ Aroor, Shiv (24 March 2018). "How India's ASTRA Air-To-Air Missile Is Quietly Killing It". Livefist Defence. Retrieved 30 August 2020.
^ ^a ^b "Deal For Desi Astra Mk-1 Sealed, India Set To Test Next-gen Air-to-Air Missile 'This Month'". ThePrint. June 2022.
^ "From missiles to glide bombs, India set to test several advanced weapon systems". The Times of India. 7 May 2022. ISSN 0971-8257. Retrieved 5 August 2023.
^ "With The 'Devil' Behind, India's Fastest Missile 'Astra' Can Down Enemy Jets At Almost Hypersonic Speeds". Eurasian Times. 5 June 2022. Retrieved 5 August 2023.
^ Bhardwaj, Tarun (17 September 2019). "Deadly weapon! IAF successfully test-fires air-to-air missile Astra from Sukhoi-30 combat aircrafts [sic]". Financial Express. Retrieved 30 August 2020.
^ "India orders Astra weapon in move to break dependence on foreign missiles". Defense News. 2 June 2022.
^ ^a ^b Rana, Javaria (30 April 2025). "Why homegrown Astra, set to be integrated with Rafale Marine, is no ordinary missile". ThePrint. Retrieved 30 April 2025.
^ ^a ^b Bedi, Rahul (6 September 2017). "BDL begins initial build of Astra Mk1 BVRAAM". IHS Jane's Missiles & Rockets. Jane's Information Group. Archived from the original on 6 September 2017.
^ M. Somasekhar (27 August 2017). "Jaitley hands over long-range surface-to-air missile to Navy". The Hindu Business Line. The Hindu Group.
^ Cite error: The named reference vayu-sep15 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
^ Y. Mallikarjun (22 May 2015). "Astra missile successfully tested again". The Hindu. The Hindu Group. ISSN 0971-751X.
^ Pandit, Rajat (29 September 2019). "15 years on, DRDO's supersonic missile ready for IAF fighters". The Times of India.
^ "DAC approves capital acquisition of various platforms & equipment worth Rs 38,900 crore". PIB India. Retrieved 2 July 2020.
^ "What is Astra Missile ?". Business Standard India. Retrieved 25 July 2022.
^ "Astra Missile Test successful: More power to the IAF's fighter planes". The Financial Express. 26 September 2018. Retrieved 20 September 2019.
^ Cite error: The named reference :0 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).

[1] Aroor, Shiv (24 March 2018). "How India's ASTRA Air-To-Air Missile Is Quietly Killing It". Livefist Defence. Retrieved 30 August 2020.

[2] Aroor, Shiv (24 March 2018). "How India's ASTRA Air-To-Air Missile Is Quietly Killing It". Livefist Defence. Retrieved 30 August 2020.

[theprint.in-3] "Deal For Desi Astra Mk-1 Sealed, India Set To Test Next-gen Air-to-Air Missile 'This Month'". ThePrint. June 2022.

[4] "From missiles to glide bombs, India set to test several advanced weapon systems". The Times of India. 7 May 2022. ISSN 0971-8257. Retrieved 5 August 2023.

[5] "With The 'Devil' Behind, India's Fastest Missile 'Astra' Can Down Enemy Jets At Almost Hypersonic Speeds". Eurasian Times. 5 June 2022. Retrieved 5 August 2023.

[6] Bhardwaj, Tarun (17 September 2019). "Deadly weapon! IAF successfully test-fires air-to-air missile Astra from Sukhoi-30 combat aircrafts [sic]". Financial Express. Retrieved 30 August 2020.

[7] "India orders Astra weapon in move to break dependence on foreign missiles". Defense News. 2 June 2022.

[:2-8] Rana, Javaria (30 April 2025). "Why homegrown Astra, set to be integrated with Rafale Marine, is no ordinary missile". ThePrint. Retrieved 30 April 2025.

[janes-6sep17-9] Bedi, Rahul (6 September 2017). "BDL begins initial build of Astra Mk1 BVRAAM". IHS Jane's Missiles & Rockets. Jane's Information Group. Archived from the original on 6 September 2017.

[10] M. Somasekhar (27 August 2017). "Jaitley hands over long-range surface-to-air missile to Navy". The Hindu Business Line. The Hindu Group.

[vayu-sep15-11] Cite error: The named reference vayu-sep15 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).

[thehindu-22may15-12] Y. Mallikarjun (22 May 2015). "Astra missile successfully tested again". The Hindu. The Hindu Group. ISSN 0971-751X.

[SM-13] Pandit, Rajat (29 September 2019). "15 years on, DRDO's supersonic missile ready for IAF fighters". The Times of India.

[CA-14] "DAC approves capital acquisition of various platforms & equipment worth Rs 38,900 crore". PIB India. Retrieved 2 July 2020.

[15] "What is Astra Missile ?". Business Standard India. Retrieved 25 July 2022.

[16] "Astra Missile Test successful: More power to the IAF's fighter planes". The Financial Express. 26 September 2018. Retrieved 20 September 2019.

[:0-17] Cite error: The named reference :0 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).

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