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India's new-age, beyond-visual-range missile with an ancient name
The Astra, like other advanced long-range missiles, uses inertial guidance with updates on its target from the shooter aircraft mid-flight, to strike.
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Satarupa Bhattacharjya
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Astra, which in Sanskrit means 'weapon' – referred to in major multifront combats in Indian mythology, including the epic Mahabharat — is a cutting-edge air-to-air missile that has been designed by the Indian government's Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO).
The Astra operates beyond visual range (BVR) and can hit highly manoeuvrable supersonic targets, according to the DRDO. The missile has the capability to lock on target before being launched during close-range aerial engagements. The missile's current range is more than 100 kilometres. Missiles with the ability to engage targets at distances way greater than the fighter pilot's field of
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