India successfully conducts user trials of Astra beyond visual range air-to-air missile

An IAF Sukhoi Su-30MKI fighter launches an Astra BVRAAM during user trials in September 2019. Photo c/o IAF.

India’s Defence Research and Development Organization (DRDO) and the Indian Air Force (IAF) successfully conducted a pre-mass production user trial of the new indigenously-made and developed Astra Mk. 1 beyond visual range air-to-air missile (BVRAAM).

The user test was conducted off the coast of Odisha and was fired by an IAF Sukhoi Su-30MKI fighter, and was said to have been made between 16 to 19 September 2019.

Indian Defence Minister Rajnath Singh congratulated the DRDO and IAF for the successful user trials, which is a first for India in terms of developing an air-to-air missile.

The Astra features a mid-course inertial guidance with terminal active radar homing, and is capable of engagements as short as 20 kilometers, up to a maximum of up to 80 kilometers. It is equipped with an electronic counter-countermeasures and has a 15 kilogram high explosive warhead.

Initially it has been integrated with the IAF’s main fighter the Sukhoi Su-30MKI, but will eventually be integrated with other air assets of the IAF including the Mikoyan Gurevich MiG-29, HAL Tejas, and Dassault Mirage 2000. Export of the missile is also being considered.


[1] The Economic Times
[2] India Today