Following local media reports, the Indian Air Force (IAF) LCA Tejas Mk1A will conduct a series of tests using ASRAAM’s advanced short-range air-to-air missiles and Astra Mk1 air-to-air missiles later this year. – BVR type arrangement.
Although the aircraft is equipped with modern radars, subsystems and air-to-air missiles, such as the R-73, Python-5 and I-Derby, the Astra Mk1 BVRAAM attaches great importance to it as a locally developed system that provides the best performance superior to the R-77 BRAAM used until now. now. This type of test will evaluate the behavior of the aforementioned missiles, as well as the operational capabilities of the LCA Tejas Mk1A and the possibility of increasing the variety of weapons available in the Indian fighter.
On the contrary, the ASRAAM is a UK-developed short-range air-to-air missile whose integration with the Tejas Mk1A seeks to improve close air combat capabilities and improve effectiveness when confronting hostile aircraft. This missile was developed by a group of European companies led by MBDA UK. On the other hand, the Astra Mk1A BVRAAM, which was developed domestically by the Defense Research and Development Organization (DRDO), hopes to provide the aircraft with a powerful long-range air-to-air combat capability.
Looking ahead, India is also fully outfitting the Tejas Mk1A with a more advanced version of the Astra missile, dubbed the Mk2, and integration with the BVRAAM MBDA Meteor. The Astra Mk2 is a more advanced variant of the original with better range and maneuverability, which increases the combat capabilities of the Tejas and its successively improved versions.
* Pictures used for illustration.
It may interest you: The presence of China and Russia in the vicinity of the island of Taiwan is a concern
:quality(85)/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/infobae/7WNJFGDL7JCGBPDFCF4AVJNMX4.jpg)
