Made in India : Astra missile successfully flight tested

Astra :  Beyond visual range Air to Air Missile 

• Recently Astra was flight tested from Sukhoi -30 MKI Aircraft over Odisha coast.

• Astra is part of integrated guided missile development program of ministry of Defence.

• it is India's first ingenuously developed Beyond visual range Air to Air Missile & Has been described as the most potent weapon system for IAF'S Combat aircraft's.

• Astra was designed to integrate with Sukhoi-30MKI, MIG29,MIG21.further with Tejas India's ingenuously built aircraft.It will also integrate with Indian navy sea harrier jet fighter.it has range of 70 km and can hit target with speed of 5555 km/hr.

• Astra likely to be inducted at end of 2019.

Sukhoi 30 mki

Features :

1. Beyond visual range air to air missile (BVRAAM) technology enables fighter-pilots to shoot precisely at the enemy targets which are beyond their visual range.

2. It is an all weather missile.

3. Electronic Counter-Countermeasures ( ECCM)  enables  to overcome defencive measures put forth for the target by the enemy.

4. It has an option to choose between “Lock on Before Launch – LOBL” and “Lock on After Launch – LOAL”. The latter option allows the fighter aircraft to safely shoot and scoot after launching the missile towards the target.

5. Astra is extremely effective in a multi-target scenario.

Specifications:

• range -70 km.

• payload - 15 kg explosive pre -fragmented warhead.

• speed - 4.5 mach or 5555 km/hr.

India's other deadly missiles : Brahmos, Akash, Agni.