India is planning to equip Mirage 2000 jets with Astra Mk2 missiles, enabling long-range interception up to 240 km and strengthening aerial dominance.
About Astra Mk2 Missile:
It is a Beyond Visual Range (BVR) air-to-air missile.
It is being developed by the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO).
In addition to various laboratories of DRDO, more than 50 public and private industries, including Hindustan Aeronautics Limited, have contributed towards successful realisation of the weapon system.
The Astra Mark-1 air-to-air missile with a strike range of around 90-100 km is already in the Indian Air Force and is already integrated with the LCA Tejas and the Su-30 MKI fighter jets.
The Astra Mark 2 would give the Indian Air Force an edge over the adversaries in air-to-air combat and can also be offered as an export product to friendly foreign countries.
Features:
While the Astra Mark-1 is a single-pulse, smokeless solid-fueled motor, the Astra Mark-2 uses a dual-pulse solid rocket motor for extended reach and better kinematics during the kill phase.
Range: 200–240 km (high altitude conditions)
Astra Mk-2 will use the indigenous seeker manufactured by Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL).
This seeker is equipped with electronic counter-countermeasures (ECCM), enhancing its ability to resist jamming and electronic warfare tactics.
Another critical feature is the two-way data link that enables mid-course updates. This allows the missile to receive real-time guidance corrections from the launch platform or other assets.
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