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Defence Research and Development Organisation

Astra Mk1

India's first indigenous beyond-visual-range air-to-air missile, integrated on the Su-30MKI and Tejas fighters, with an extended-range Mk2 derivative in development to reduce dependence on imported Russian and European missiles.

In service since 2019 · 1 operator countries

Compiled from public sources ·primary reference ↗ ·last verified 2026-07-02

110

km range

4.5

Mach

15

kg warhead

Pricing: Unit cost not publicly disclosed

Procurement snapshot

Availability & export

National export licensing

Subject to India export-control approval; verify eligibility with the manufacturer.

Channel: Direct commercial / G2G

Fielded & proven

Limited · 1 operator

In service since 2019. Status: active.

Lifecycle cost (est.)

No public unit price to model from. Why so few systems publish one →

Interoperability

No standardised NATO calibre / datalink detected in public specs.

Derived guidance from public data, export regime by country of origin, lifecycle from the GAO ~30% acquisition rule. Verify eligibility, pricing and offsets with the manufacturer and your acquisition authority.

Full specifications

Performance

Speed, range, altitude and engagement capability.

Performance specifications
Max speed (Mach)

Maximum speed as a multiple of the speed of sound. Mach 2+ is typical for air-superiority fighters.

4.5 Mach
Stronger than 81% of missiles
Range

Maximum distance: ferry range for aircraft, operational range for vehicles, maximum engagement distance for missiles. Higher means more standoff or persistence.

110 km
Stronger than 47% of missiles

Firepower

Armament, payload and guidance.

Firepower specifications
Warhead

Warhead mass. Heavier generally means larger effect radius, at the cost of range.

15 kg
Stronger than 30% of missiles
Warhead type

Blast-fragmentation, shaped charge (HEAT), penetrator, thermobaric or nuclear-capable.

High-explosive pre-fragmented
Guidance

How the weapon finds its target: inertial, GPS/GLONASS, active/semi-active radar, infrared, laser, TV, wire.

Inertial navigation, Active radar terminal homing

Physical

Dimensions, weight and crew.

Physical specifications
Length

Overall length including gun/probe where applicable.

3.57 m

Propulsion

Engine, power and fuel.

Propulsion specifications
Propulsion type

Turbofan, turboshaft, diesel, gas turbine, solid-fuel rocket, ramjet…

Solid-fuel rocket

Program

Cost, production scale and operators.

Program specifications
Units built

Total production run. Higher means proven manufacturing, mature logistics and spares availability.

0
Stronger than 11% of missiles
Operator countries

Number of countries operating the system. More operators means broader support ecosystem.

1
Stronger than 14% of missiles

Specifications compiled from public Defence Research and Development Organisation and reference sources ↗. Published defense figures are approximations, treat comparisons as directional. Last verified 2026-07-02.

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Frequently asked questions

What is the range of the Defence Research and Development Organisation Astra Mk1? +

The Defence Research and Development Organisation Astra Mk1 has a maximum range of 110 km.

What is the Defence Research and Development Organisation Astra Mk1 used for? +

The Defence Research and Development Organisation Astra Mk1 is a missile typically used for air superiority.

How many countries operate the Defence Research and Development Organisation Astra Mk1? +

The Defence Research and Development Organisation Astra Mk1 is operated by 1 countries.

How much does the Defence Research and Development Organisation Astra Mk1 cost? +

Defence Research and Development Organisation Astra Mk1: Unit cost not publicly disclosed. Defense program costs are rarely fully public and vary by contract and configuration.

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