ASTRA MK-1 MISSILE

Recently, the Ministry of Defence has signed a contract with the Hyderabad-based public-sector Bharat Dynamics Ltd (BDL) for supply of the Astra Mark-1.
Contract was signed at a cost of Rs 2,971 crore, for deployment on fighter jets of the Indian Air Force and Indian Navy.

Astra Missile and its Variants

The Astra project was officially launched in the early 2000s with defined parameters and proposed future variants.
Around 2017, the development phase of the Mk-1 version was complete.
Several successful tests have been conducted since 2017 from Sukhoi-30 MKIs.

Key Highlights of the Astra Mk-1 Missile

The Astra Mk-1 is a Beyond Visual Range (BVR), Air-to-Air Missile (AAM).
BVM missiles are capable of engaging beyond the range of 20 nautical miles or 37 kilometers.
AAMs are fired from an airborne asset to destroy an airborne target.
The range for Astra Mk-1 is around 110 km.
The Mk-2 with a range over 150 km is under development and Mk-3 version with a longer range is being envisaged.
One more version of Astra, with a range smaller than Mk-1 is also under development.
Designed and Developed by Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO)

Strategic Significance

The missile has been designed based on requirements specified by the Indian Air Force (IAF) for BVR as well as close-combat engagement, reducing the dependency on foreign sources.
AAMs with BVR capability provides large stand-off ranges to own fighter aircraft which can neutralise adversary airborne assets without exposing themselves to adversary air defence measures.
Stand-off range means the missile is launched at a distance sufficient to allow the attacking side to evade defensive fire from the target.
Astra is technologically and economically superior to many such imported missile systems.
The missile can travel at speeds more than four times that of sound and can reach a maximum altitude of 20 km, making it extremely flexible for air combat.:
The missile is fully integrated on the Sukhoi 30 MKI I and will be integrated with other fighter aircraft in a phased manner, including the Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) Tejas.
It will integrate the missile on the MiG-29K fighter aircraft which are deployed on the Navy’s aircraft carriers, thus adding to the lethality of India’s Aircraft carriers.

Statehood Day of Goa

On the Statehood Day of Goa (30th May), the Prime Minister greeted the people of the state.
Goa is located on the southwestern coast of India within the region known as the Konkan, and geographically separated from the Deccan highlands by the Western Ghats.
Capital-Panji.
Official Language-Konkani which is one of the 22 languages from the Eight Schedule.
It is surrounded by Maharashtra to the north and Karnataka to the east and south, with the Arabian Sea forming its western coast.
As India gained independence on 15th August, 1947, it requested the Portugese to cede their territories. However, Portuguese refused.
In 1961, Indian Government launched Operation Vijay and annexed Daman and Diu islands and Goa with the Indian mainland.
Goa Liberation Day is observed on 19th December every year in India.
It can be noted that the Portuguese were the first Europeans to come to India (1498) and were also the last to leave this land (1961).
On 30th May, 1987, the territory was split and Goa was formed. Daman and Diu remained Union Territory.

Geography:

The highest point of Goa is Sonsogor.
Goa’s seven major rivers are the Zuari, Mandovi, Terekhol, Chapora, Galgibag, Kumbarjua canal, Talpona and the Sal.
Most of Goa’s soil cover is made up of laterites.
Salim Ali Bird Sanctuary

SOURCE: THE HINDU,THE ECONOMIC TIMES,MINT

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