China missile features to be added in Astra Mark-2

The Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) has decided to incorporate advanced features from the Chinese PL-15 air-to-air missile into its indigenous Astra Mark-2 programme, following a detailed technical analysis of an unexploded missile fired by a Pakistani jet during Operation Sindoor in May, people aware of the matter said.

- Shishir Gupta

The PL-I5E missile was recovered fully intact in a field near Hoshiarpur, Punjab, on May 9, representing a rare intelligence opportunity for Indian defence scientists.

The export variant of China's advanced beyond-visual-range missile, with a range of 145 kilometres, was found unexploded due to the weapon's lack of a self-destruct mechanism, unlike all Indian air-to-air missiles, according to people aware of the matter who asked not to be named. The recovery occurred during Operation Sindoor, India’s coordinated military response launched on May 7 tothe ‘April 22 Pahalgam terror attack that killed 26 civilians. The missile, believed to have been fired froma Pakistan Air Force JF-17 or J-10C fighter, failed to engage its target and fell approximately 100 kilometres inside Indian territory.