A 200km+ challenge to China’s PL-15

In a major step towards enhancing India’s air power, DRDO plans to increase the range of the Astra Mark-2 air-to-air missile to over 200 km. This means the indigenous missile could soon shoot down enemy aircraft from much longer ranges, greatly increasing the combat power of the Indian Air Force. According to the new proposals, the range of the missile will be increased far beyond the previously determined limit of 160 kilometers, and thus its range will be much longer. The Indian Air Force (IAF) plans to order around 700 upgraded Astra missiles to be fitted on Sukhoi Su-30MKI and Tejas fighter jets.

The move comes after India’s focus on indigenous weapons strengthened following Operation Sindoor, in which IAF pilots successfully used earlier Astra missiles in beyond visual range (BVR) warfare. The Astra Mk-2 missile is being produced to rival and counter China’s powerful PL-15 missile, which has a range of approximately 200 km. Defense officials said that the range of more than 200 km is crucial for security as it allows Indian pilots to destroy enemy aircraft from a safe distance without coming within the enemy’s missile range. This means Indian pilots can launch their missiles from a safe distance, staying out of range where enemy missiles can target or harm them.

BVR (Beyond Visual Range) combat refers to aerial combat in which pilots can attack enemy aircraft from long ranges (usually beyond 30 to 50 km) without directly seeing them using radar-guided missiles. Both the Astra Mk-2 and China’s PL-15 missile use a dual-pulse solid rocket motor. This means that the missile’s engine has two separate fuel compartments. The first pulse provides a powerful thrust (initial thrust) to make it fly fast upon launch, and the second pulse is then fired in the final stage, providing another burst of power to chase and hit a distant target. This helps the missile remain fast and accurate over long distances.

Astra Mk-2 uses many advanced Indian parts, mainly modern seeker and fiber optic gyroscope, which provide better resistance to electronic countermeasures (ECM). The seeker is the “eye” of the missile (a sensor that finds and locks on the target using radar or imaging – radar sends radio waves and detects reflections to find the distance and speed of an object; imaging works like a camera or infrared sensor to “see” and identify the target). The fiber optic gyroscope is a very sensitive motion sensor (it tells which direction the missile is pointed and corrects its path without relying on GPS). ECM means the enemy is trying to jam or jam the missile’s sensors; These new parts help Astra ignore such interference and stay on target.

With a range of over 200 km, the Astra Mk-2 will have a clear advantage over the Chinese exported PL-15E (used by Pakistan), which is limited to around 145 km; It is reported that the Chinese domestic PL-15 version has a range of close to 200 km. Pakistan uses AMRAAMs on F-16 Block-52 fighter jets; The AIM-120C variant has a range of approximately 105-120 km, while the AIM-120D version can reach 160-180 km. The upgrade will make the Astra Mk-2 as good as or better than the main BVR missiles in the region, thanks to its longer range, dual-pulse engine and improved standoff capability (meaning Indian pilots can fire from a safe distance where enemy weapons cannot reach them).

Although DRDO has not officially announced the upgrade plan, experts believe that it is technically possible to increase the range of the Astra from 160 km to over 200 km. The twin-pulse engine technology, already proven in the American AMRAAM (Advanced Medium-Range Air-to-Air Missile), a widely used US missile known for its precision and reliability, enables the missile to fly efficiently and save energy for long-range strikes, Defense.in reported. Analysts say the range increase could come in two ways: improving the propellant so that the same missile gets more energy, or making the missile slightly larger to carry extra fuel. The larger missile option could cause fit and weight issues in lighter jets like Tejas, so engineers prefer to change the propellant formulation if possible.

The Astra missile program is an important part of India’s Aatmanirbhar Bharat drive in the defense field. The older Astra Mk-1, with a range of over 100 km, is combat proven and in service. As testing continues, the Astra Mk-2 upgrade marks a significant step in strengthening India’s air defense strategy and reducing dependence on expensive foreign missiles.

(The author of this article is a Defense, Aerospace and Political Analyst based in Bengaluru. He is also the Director of ADD Engineering Components, India, Pvt. Ltd, a subsidiary of ADD Engineering GmbH, Germany. You can reach him at: girishlinganna@gmail.com)

(Disclaimer: The views expressed above belong to the author and do not reflect the views of DNA)