India has developed the advanced technology of this Astra missile. Version Mark-2 has been tested at a height of 20 thousand feet in the sky from its own indigenous supersonic light combat aircraft Tejas, accurately targeted. Now its strength will be increased by fitting it on Tejas Mark-1A fighter jet. Astra is India’s first such air-to-air missile, which has been completely indigenously developed, it was tested for the first time in the year 2003. 

Astra missile in the early stages Its weight was 300 kg and it was capable of hitting 25 to 40 kilometers. In the year 2006, the design of the weapon was changed. Its wings were replaced and the propulsion system was also improved. Later it was tested in the year 2008, but the Astra missile was still very heavy due to which its firepower could not increase, for this the scientist once again changed its design and the result was that The weight of the missile has almost halved. Its speed and firepower have also increase. 

Three consecutive tests of Astra missile were done in the year 2012 and then for the first time in the year 2013 it was tested from Sukhoi-30MKI. It After DRDO conducted several tests of Astra missile, In October 2020, Astra Mark-1 missile was tested from Sukhoi-30 MKI fighter aircraft and now this missile has become the most important weapon of Indian Airforce’s combat fleet is  ‘Astra’ missile is such an air combat missile,  which is capable of Beyond Visual Range attack and can destroy any air target with a supersonic speed of Mach 4.5 Can lock the target before and after launch. 

Astra missile works in both head on chase and tail chase mode. Optical proximity fuse explodes after colliding with the target. It is used Can be done in any weather. The new and advanced version of this missile is Astra Mark-2, which weighs 154 kg and the firepower is up to 160 km. This  can carry 15 kg high explosive explosive. After testing this missile with Tejas fighter jet, India has also been able to make beyond visual range missile. Till now India had to buy such missile from abroad. Now indigenous Air-to-air missiles will fit in India’s fighter jets.