Latest news with #Gandiva
India.com
5 days ago
- India.com
China, Pakistans New Fear: How Indias Gandiva Could Change South Asian Skies; Eliminate J-20, PL-15 Threats
photoDetails english 2933337 Updated:Jul 17, 2025, 07:52 PM IST Evolution Of IAF's Airpower 1 / 7 The Astra missile series began with the Mk1 variant, which is already operational with both the Indian Air Force and Navy. The Mk1 is a 3.6-meter-long missile weighing 154 kg and capable of striking targets over 100 kilometers away. The Mk3, however, takes this capability much further—both in terms of range and technological sophistication. Supersonic Speeds 2 / 7 At the core of Gandiva's enhanced performance is its Solid Fuel Ducted Ramjet (SFDR) propulsion system. Unlike conventional solid rocket motors, SFDR engines draw in atmospheric oxygen during flight. This not only reduces the missile's weight but also allows it to sustain supersonic speeds up to Mach 4.5 over greater distances. This makes the missile more fuel-efficient and extends its effective range to over 300 kilometers. Thus, India Air Force can eliminate Pakistani, Chinese targets without being visible to them. 'No-Escape Zone' Missile 3 / 7 Thanks to its throttleable SFDR engine, the Astra Mk3 dramatically increases the 'no-escape zone'—the range within which an enemy aircraft cannot evade the missile, no matter how fast or agile it is. This makes Gandiva one of the most lethal air-to-air weapons in its class, capable of neutralizing threats like stealth fighters, bombers, and airborne early warning systems far before they can pose a danger. Next-Gen Radar Seekers 4 / 7 For guidance, the current prototype of Astra Mk3 uses an Active Electronically Scanned Array (AESA) seeker based on Gallium Arsenide (GaAs) technology. However, DRDO plans to equip the final production model with a Gallium Nitride (GaN) based seeker. GaN technology promises better power efficiency, superior heat tolerance, and stronger resistance to electronic jamming—vital advantages in modern warfare. Testing Milestones 5 / 7 In December 2024, DRDO completed successful ground tests of the SFDR system at the Integrated Test Range in Odisha. The missile has since moved into captive carriage trials on a Sukhoi Su-30MKI to test its integration with the aircraft's radar and fire-control systems. Live-fire tests will follow, evaluating Gandiva's performance in intercepting real targets at full speed and range. Once proven, it will be deployed across platforms such as the Su-30MKI, HAL Tejas, Rafale, and MiG-29. Countering China, Pakistan 6 / 7 The Astra Mk3 is being developed with an eye on countering regional threats, particularly the Chinese J-20 stealth fighters and the PL-15 long-range missile used by China and Pakistan. Despite challenges in miniaturising ramjet technology, DRDO aims to enter full-scale production between 2030 and 2031. This aligns with India's broader 'Aatmanirbhar Bharat' mission, focusing on defence self-reliance and indigenous technology development. Beyond-Visual-Range Missile 7 / 7 A Beyond Visual Range (BVR) missile is designed to engage enemy aircraft at distances where the pilot cannot visually identify the target—typically between 50 and 300 kilometers. These missiles use a combination of inertial navigation for mid-course flight and active radar homing in the terminal phase, allowing them to autonomously track and destroy targets with high precision, even in electronic warfare environments.
India.com
12-06-2025
- Politics
- India.com
Arjun's Gandiva will now haunt Pakistan and China, India's most advanced air-to-air missile is now.., Indian Air Force can now...
Arjun's Gandiva DRDO missile DRDO Gandiva missile: In a significant development for Indian Airforce and a matter of bad news for China and Pakistan, India's latest and most advanced air-to-air missile, the Astra MK-III, has now been officially renamed Gandiva, after the legendary bow of Arjuna from the Mahabharata. Here are all the details you need to know about the Gandiva missile by DRDO. Being developed by the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), the Gandiva missile has the ability to strike enemy aerial targets from a range of 340 kilometers when the target is an altitude of 20 kilometers and 190 kilometers when the target is at a lower altitude of 8 kilometers. The updated version of the Astra MK-III missile can reportedly fly four times faster than the speed of sound. Taking the Indian defence to another level, it can challenge China's PL-15 and Pakistan's AIM-120 missiles. Media reports also say that the missile will be deployed on the IAF's Sukhoi Su-30MKI jets and the Indigenous Light Combat Aircraft Tejas. DRDO to lead project on India's 5th-generation stealth fighter jet In a major push towards Atmanirbharta (self-reliance), Defence Minister Rajnath Singh approved the Execution Model for the Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft (AMCA) programme on Tuesday. The AMCA clearance marks a critical step towards realising India's goal of joining an elite club of nations in designing and producing its own fleet of next-generation combat aircraft. The project will be helmed by the Aeronautical Development Agency (ADA) of the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), said the Defence Ministry in a press release. 'In a significant push towards enhancing India's indigenous defence capabilities and fostering a robust domestic aerospace industrial ecosystem, Raksha Mantri Shri Rajnath Singh has approved the Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft (AMCA) Programme Execution Model. The Aeronautical Development Agency (ADA) is set to execute the programme through Industry partnership,' said the Ministry in a statement. (With inputs from agencies)
News18
07-05-2025
- Politics
- News18
Operation Sindoor: How Rafale Fighter Fleet Struck 200km Deep Without Entering Pakistan Airspace
Last Updated: Defence analysts believe the backbone of Operation Sindoor was the Rafale fighter fleet, armed with Beyond Visual Range missiles, particularly the homegrown Gandiva India on Wednesday launched Operation Sindoor, a meticulously executed cross-border precision strike that penetrated nearly 200 kilometres inside Pakistani territory, targeting multiple terror launchpads without breaching Pakistani airspace. The strike, confirmed by top defence sources on condition of anonymity, is India's direct retaliation for the brutal killing of 26 tourists in the deadly Pahalgam attack last month which was traced to cross-border terror groups with long-standing bases in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK). What makes Operation Sindoor extraordinary is the operational depth: Indian forces struck as far as Bahawalpur in Pakistan's Punjab province, long believed to be the nerve centre of terror outfits like Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) and Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT). Bahawalpur lies approximately 200 kilometres from the border, a distance once considered inviolable without triggering international escalation. Yet, India seems to have executed this strike entirely from its own territory, thanks to cutting-edge advancements in missile and aviation technology. Defence analysts believe the backbone of the operation was the Rafale fighter fleet, armed with Beyond Visual Range (BVR) missiles, particularly the French-made MBDA Scalp cruise missiles and the homegrown Gandiva. The MBDA Scalp has a strike range of approximately 200 kilometres, enabling India to launch attacks from within its airspace with surgical precision. Even more formidable is Gandiva, the latest entrant in the BVR class. Developed indigenously, this missile boasts a range of 340 kilometres and is capable of hitting targets from an altitude of 20 kilometres, making it the longest-range BVR missile in the world, surpassing China's PL-15 (300 km) and the US' AIM-174 (240 km). Nine terror hideouts, primarily in PoK and Bahawalpur, were targeted and destroyed in the strike, according to intelligence sources. This strike signals a paradigm shift in India's counter-terror doctrine. Gone are the days of visible cross-border incursions or boots on the ground. Instead, modern warfare – driven by stealth jets, AI-assisted targeting, and long-range missiles – is reshaping how nations assert their security red lines. 'Operation Sindoor is not just retaliation; it is a declaration of a new strategic era," a senior defence analyst said, adding that the operation told the adversaries that distance was no longer a shield, and sanctuary was no longer safe. First Published: May 07, 2025, 10:32 IST
