Air-to-Air missile Astra successfully test-fired – DRDO 18/09/2019 – Posted in: Daily News – Tags: DRDO
ASTRA MISSILE
For: Preliminary
Topics covered:
- About Astra Missile- Design, Features and Specifications
News Flash
Indigenously designed air-to-air missile Astra was successfully test-fired from the Bay of Bengal off the coast of Odisha.
- The beyond-visual-range missile was launched from a Sukhoi-30 MKI as a part of user trials.
Design
- Astra is designed by the Defence Research Development Organisation (DRDO).
- The Astra missile is developed as part of the Integrated Guided Missile Development Programme (IGMDP) of the Indian Ministry of Defence.
Features
- The highly agile, accurate and reliable missile features high single-shot kill probability (SSKP) and is capable of operating under all weather conditions.
- Astra is capable of engaging targets of different ranges and altitudes, including long-range as well as short-range targets.
- Its low all-up weight provides high launch range capability and the system’s airborne launcher can be used with different fighter aircraft.
- The electronic counter-countermeasures (ECCM) feature improves the missile’s target tracking capability by reducing the effect of electronic countermeasures of the enemy targets in jamming environments.
- The dual-mode guidance consists of an upgraded mid-course internal and active radar terminal homing systems. It allows the Astra BVR missile to locate and track targets at different altitudes.
- A radio proximity fuse (RPF) developed by HAL activates the warhead.
- The weapon system is equipped with a high-explosive pre-fragmented warhead that weighs 15kg.
- The Astra BVR air-to-air missile is powered by a smokeless, single stage, solid fuel propulsion system.
- It can intercept and destroy enemy targets with a launch speed between Mach 0.4 and Mach 2.
- Launch range and launch altitudes of the weapon system are 80km and 20km respectively. The missile can achieve 40 g turns near sea level while engaging a moving target.
Source: The Hindu
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