- India has taken a significant leap in aerial combat capability with the official renaming of its most advanced beyond visual range (BVR) air-to-air missile, Astra Mk-III, to Gandiva.
- Developed by the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), Gandiva represents the next evolution in the Astra missile series and showcases India’s growing technological edge in air-to-air missile systems.
Context and Background
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Key Features of Gandiva (Astra Mk-III)
- Extended Operational Range
- Gandiva offers a range of 340 km when targeting enemy aircraft flying at an altitude of 20 km.
- The effective range is 190 km when engaging targets at 8 km altitude.
- Advanced Propulsion System
- Gandiva is powered by a Solid Fuel Ducted Ramjet (SFDR) propulsion system.
- This dual-fuel engine utilizes atmospheric oxygen as an oxidizer, eliminating the need to carry onboard oxidizers.
- High-Speed Engagement Capability
- Gandiva can be launched at speeds between 0.8 to 2.2 Mach.
- It is capable of intercepting targets moving at Mach 2.0 to Mach 3.6.
- Its sustained supersonic speed can reportedly reach up to Mach 4.5, enabling rapid interception of high-speed enemy aircraft.
- Precision Target Neutralization: The missile is designed to neutralize a variety of aerial threats, including: Fighter jets, Bombers and Military transport aircraft
| The Evolution of Astra Missiles Gandiva is the third and most advanced iteration in the Astra series of beyond visual range (BVR) air-to-air missiles developed by the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO).
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