India Targets Sale of “ASTRA” BVRAAM Missiles to Su-30 Operators, Including Malaysia

(DEFENCE SECURITY ASIA) – India is now targeting countries that operate the Sukhoi Su-30 fighter jet, including Malaysia, Indonesia, and Vietnam, as potential customers for its ASTRA BVRAAM long-range air-to-air missile, which the country claims is superior to the Russian-made R-77 missile.

The ASTRA BVRAAM, developed by India’s defense company Bharat Dynamics Ltd (BDL), is the first Beyond Visual Range (BVR) air-to-air  missile produced by the country’s defense industry.

 India asserts that the ASTRA BVRAAM outperforms the Russian-made R-77 air-to-air missile currently used by Su-30 fighters.

The ASTRA BVRAAM has undergone extensive testing and has been successfully integrated with the Su-30 fighter jet.

Plans are underway to deploy this missile on active platforms such as the Su-30MKI and the lightweight fighter jet Tejas LCA.

Vinod Kumar, General Manager of New Projects at BDL, was quoted by national defense media as saying that the missile has already entered production, and the company anticipates additional orders.

Furthermore, BDL is also planning to export the ASTRA BVRAAM missile.

The primary focus for exporting the BVR air-to-air missile is on countries operating Sukhoi Su-30 fighter jets, given that the ASTRA missile has been successfully integrated and tested with these aircraft.

 Indian media reports indicate that BDL has already held negotiations with a potential customer, though the country involved has not been disclosed.

Potential export customers for the ASTRA BVRAAM missile span across various continents, including Southeast Asian nations such as Malaysia, Indonesia, Vietnam, Myanmar, Venezuela, and several other countries that operate the Sukhoi Su-30.

What makes the ASTRA BVRAAM missile particularly appealing is its suitability for use with the Sukhoi Su-30 fighter jets, coupled with its claimed superiority over the Russian-made R-77 air-to-air missile.

 

Last year, the ASTRA BVRAAM was launched from India’s own lightweight fighter jet, the Tejas, in the skies over Goa, successfully destroying its target at a range of 100 km.

Following this success, the Indian government approved a program to acquire 200 ASTRA BVRAAM missiles costing US$370 million which will be used by the Indian Air Force’s Su-30MKI and Tejas fighter jets.

According to BDL, the ASTRA BVRAAM missile has demonstrated exceptional performance, with an accuracy rate of up to 90 percent, a firing range of 100 km, and an altitude reach of 20 km.

The missile’s design prioritizes effectiveness and precision.

 

With an overall length of nearly 4 meters, the ASTRA BVRAAM’s aerodynamic design enhances its maneuverability in the air, while it is equipped with a high-explosive pre-fragmented warhead.

For guidance, the missile employs inertial guidance, mid-course updates, and terminal active radar homing, ensuring a high degree of accuracy. – DSA