India’s Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) is examining a Chinese PL-15E air-to-air missile recovered in May 2025 to integrate its advanced features—particularly a compact AESA seeker and dual-pulse propulsion—into the indigenous Astra Mark-2 program.
According to Indian media, the missile was fired by a Pakistani fighter during Operation Sindoor but failed to self-destruct, landing intact near Hoshiarpur in Punjab. This provided DRDO with a rare opportunity to study the weapon’s seeker design, energy management, and anti-jamming systems in detail. Insights from the teardown are already being used to refine India’s next-generation beyond-visual-range missile.
The PL-15E, a core element of China’s modern AAM inventory, pairs a miniaturized active electronically scanned array radar with a dual-pulse rocket motor, enabling sustained Mach 5-plus performance over 140 km. Lessons from its design could help Astra Mk-2 extend engagement range toward the 200 km class while improving terminal energy retention and electronic-countermeasure resistance.
Astra Mk-2’s evolution demonstrates India’s growing self-reliance in advanced missile technologies under the Aatmanirbhar Bharat initiative. Beyond technical benefits, the discovery underscores how battlefield intelligence can reshape air-combat balance in South Asia—transforming a single recovered missile into a catalyst for innovation and deterrence.
