Hyderabad: The Ministry of Defence signed a contract with city-based Bharat Dynamics Limited (BDL) worth Rupees 2,971 crore for the supply of Astra Mk-1 Beyond Visual Range (BVR) Air to Air Missile (AAM) and associated equipment for the Indian Air Force (IAF) and Indian Navy.
The contract was signed at New Delhi, by Director (Production) of BDL, P Radhakrishna and Defence ministry’s Joint Secretary and Acquisition manager (Air), Sanjai Singh. The project is set to be executed in 6 years.
Astra MK-I BVR AAM has been indigenously designed and developed by Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) and produced by BDL. Astra Mk-1 is also India’s first indigenous air-to-air missile. The missile has a range between 80 km to 110 km and has an altitude upto 20 Kms.
Till now, the technology to manufacture missiles of this class indigenously was not available.
However, under the Buy Indian-IDDM (Indigenously Designed, Developed, and Manufactured) program, the sector has received a major boost.
This has enabled BDL to offer Astra missile for export to friendly foreign countries (FFC).
“BDL has augmented its manufacturing capacity to meet the domestic as well as overseas demand for Astra missile.” it said in a statement.
The ministry of defence confirmed that The Transfer of Technology (ToT) from DRDO to BDL for the production of the missiles and all its associated systems has been successfully completed and the production at BDL is in progress.
Induction of Astra Mk-1 weapon system programme into IAF and Indian Navy will act as a catalyst for creation of infrastructure in terms of hanger, storage buildings, testing facilities for manufacturing as well as creating 600 employment opportunities.
The missile, for which successful trials have already been undertaken by the IAF, is fully integrated on the Su 30 MK-I fighter aircraft and will be integrated with other fighter aircraft in a phased manner. It includes the Light Combat Aircraft (Tejas Mk1). The Indian Navy will also integrate the missile on the MiG 29K fighter aircraft.
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