India will begin a trial of the Astra missile with an air-to-air range of 160 km. With this deadly missile, India will overtake Pakistan and China in terms of the air war. The Astra Mark 2 Missile, equipped with long-range firepower, will be able to target enemy aircraft even beyond the visible range.
India will make the capability of its fighters with Astra Mark 2 Missile more lethal in air warfare (air to air) … as on the day of Balakot airstrikes on 26 February 2019, the latter took place. Indian aircraft equipped with this missile will be able to hit enemy aircraft in the air from 160 kilometers away.
Officials said that by 2022, the missile is expected to be fully developed. Former commander Air Marshal SBP Sinha Retd said that the next generation of the missile is expected to be operational by the end of next year. Retired officer SBP Sinha has been associated with the Astra Missile Program for quite some time. The new-generation Astra is an air-to-air missile hitting out of the visual range.
The Astra Mark 2 Missile flies four times faster than the speed of sound. Efforts are on to give it a strike range of more than 100 km on the indigenous fighter aircraft Tejas. This missile is capable of hitting all-weather, day and night all the time. Currently, it has a range of about 100 kilometers. It will replace the expensive Russian, French and Israeli BVRAAM. Currently, these missiles (BVRAAMs) are imported.
