India Aces Astra Missile Test With Homegrown Radio Frequency Seeker
India has marked a milestone in its self-reliant defense strategy with the successful test-firing of its Astra beyond visual range air-to-air missile equipped with an indigenous radio frequency (RF) seeker.
A Sukhoi Su-30MKI fighter jet launched the upgraded missile twice off the coast of Odisha in the country’s east, where the munition struck high-speed unmanned aerial targets with pinpoint accuracy under various conditions.
The country’s Defence Research & Development Organisation — which designed and developed the RF seeker — and the Indian Air Force facilitated the test, in which all subsystems performed as expected.
Homegrown Defense
Both the Astra and the RF seeker were made in India.
In 2022, the Indian Ministry of Defence awarded Bharat Dynamics Limited to produce the Astra missile, in a move to reduce dependency on imported foreign technology.
The homegrown air-to-air missile features an advanced guidance and navigation system. It has a range beyond 100 kilometers (62 miles), with speeds up to Mach 4.5.
It was designed for compatibility with the Russian-made Su-30MKI, as well as the indigenous Tejas light combat aircraft.
India is reinforcing its air defenses in alignment with its broader defense indigenization, and it recently unveiled a photonic radar system designed to detect stealth aircraft, with trials scheduled later this year.
New Delhi is also emphasizing more domestic content in its defense procurements, as seen in its emergency order for drones produced by Indian manufacturer ideaForge.
Meanwhile, the Indian Navy commissioned its last foreign-built warship on July 1, with future vessels to be built in-country.
