Recently, Astra Beyond Visual Range Air-to-Air Missile (BVRAAM) was successfully test-fired from the Tejas Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) AF MK1 prototype off the Odisha coast.

About Astra (BVRAAM)

• Advanced Beyond Visual Range Air-to-Air Missile (BVRAAM) developed for fighter jets.
• Designed to engage enemy aircraft at distances beyond the pilot’s visual range (typically over 20 km and up to 100+ km).
• Developed by the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO).
• Manufactured by Bharat Dynamics Limited (BDL).

Key Features

• Altitude: Can engage targets at up to 20 km.
• Range: Effective against targets beyond 100 km.
• Guidance System: Uses inertial navigation with mid-course updates.
• Warhead: Equipped with a 15 kg high-explosive warhead.
• Countermeasures: Features electronic countermeasures to evade enemy radar detection.

Significance of BVRAAM Astra

• Enhances India’s air combat capability with advanced indigenous missile technology.
• Strengthens the IAF by integrating Astra with frontline fighter jets like Sukhoi-30 MKI and Tejas.
• Improves operational flexibility with multi-altitude and multi-range engagement capability.
• Reduces dependence on foreign missile systems, advancing India’s self-reliance in defense.