Astra Missle's Indigenous Seeker Clears Trials

India's first BVR (beyond Visual Range) missile ASTRA (Link to main post) which recently was undergoing final validation trials had one major component which was not indigenous and that component was seeker itself which is actually considered the eyes if not the brain of any missile. Until now Indian missile was using a Russian seeker which is originally used in R-77 missile. 

Russian Seeker

Although DRDO said that the R-77 missile seeker was obtained under TOT and so it is not a big deal but this still gave an excuse to IAF.  The seeker was considered a reason why IAF was not clearing the missile for a mass production of missile and instead just started a limited series production of  the missile with order of approximately 50 missiles till now.

DRDO has now mated the Astra missile with indigenous KU-band  Active radar seeker which is a miniaturised version of  the seeker which DRDO developed some time ago for PAD. 

                                                

The indigenous seeker has cleared trials and this leads us into believing that IAF may now order a larger number of the Astra mk1 missile. 

Also currently DRDO is working on astra mk2 which will have range of 150 kms in head-chase and 35 kms in tail-chase.
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