Astra (missile) vs CM-501: Specs Compared

AMissiles

Astra (missile)

Beyond-visual-range air-to-air missile

BMissiles

CM-501

anti-ship , anti-tank , land-attack missile / loitering munition

First system

Second system

At a glance

Side by side

Length comparisonOne shared metre scale

Astra (missile)Length

3.84 m

Length source ↗

CM-501CM-501X

3.2 m

Length source ↗

Lengths retain their source configuration and measurement scope.

Measured figures

Head to head

17 of 26 rows sourced on both sides

3.84m

3.2mCM-501X

Length

All recorded figures & sources

3.84 m

Length

Single source

3.84 m (12.6 ft)^[source]

2 m

CM-501GA

Single source

3.2 m

CM-501X

Single source

2 m

CM-501XA

Single source

CM-501GA: 2 m (6.6 ft) CM-501X: 3.2 m (10 ft) CM-501XA: 2 m (6.6 ft)^[source]

178mm

—

Diameter

All recorded figures & sources

0.178 m

Diameter

Single source

178 mm (7.0 in)^[source]

154kg

170kgCM-501X

Mass

All recorded figures & sources

154 kg

Mass

Single source

154 kg (340 lb)^[source]

150 kg

CM-501G

Single source

100 kg

CM-501GA

Single source

170 kg

CM-501X

Single source

100 kg

CM-501XA

Single source

45 kg

CM-502

Single source

CM-501G: 150 kg (330 lb) CM-501GA: 100 kg (220 lb) CM-501X: 170 kg (370 lb) CM-501XA: 100 kg (220 lb) CM-502: 45 kg (99 lb)^[source]

350kmOperational; Mk-3

70kmOperational; CM-501G

RangeScopes differ

All recorded figures & sources

110 km

Operational; Mk-1

Single source

240 km

Operational; Mk-2

Single source

350 km

Operational; Mk-3

Single source

Mk-1: 110 km (68 mi) Mk-2: 240 km (150 mi) Mk-3: 350 km (220 mi)^[source]

25 km

Operational; CM-5012

Single source

70 km

Operational; CM-501G

Single source

40 km

Operational; CM-501GA

Single source

70 km

Operational; CM-501X/XA

Single source

CM-501G: 70 km (43 mi) CM-501GA: 40 km (25 mi) CM-501X/XA: 70 km (43 mi) CM-5012: 25 km (16 mi)^[source]

15kgWarhead weight

—

Warhead mass

All recorded figures & sources

15 kg

Warhead weight

Single source

15 kg (33 lb)^[source]

Bars compare reported quantities only. A larger figure does not make a system better; configurations and test conditions differ.

Configuration

Details

Astra (missile) and CM-501 configuration
Specification	Astra (missile)	CM-501
Speed	Mk-1: Mach 4.5^[source]	CM-502: Mach 1.1^[source]
Type	Beyond-visual-range air-to-air missile^[source]	anti-ship , anti-tank , land-attack missile / loitering munition^[source]
Place of origin	India^[source]	China^[source]
In service	2019 ( 2019 ) –present^[source]	2019-present^[source]
Used by	Indian Air Force Indian Navy^[source]	People's Liberation Army^[source]
Wars	2025 India–Pakistan conflict^[source]	—
Designer	Defence Research and Development Laboratory ( DRDO )^[source]	—
Manufacturer	Bharat Dynamics Limited^[source]	China Aerospace Science and Industry Corporation (CASIC)^[source]
Unit cost	Mk-1: ₹ 7−8 crore (US$−830,000)^[source]	depends on models^[source]
Produced	2017 − Present^[source]	2010s-present^[source]
Variants	Mk-1 (Operational) Mk-2 (LSP) Mk-3 (Trial-phase) VL-SRSAM (Trial-phase)^[source]	—
Warhead	High-explosive pre- fragmented HMX / PU^[source]	CM-501G: 40 kg (88 lb) HE CM-501GA: 20 kg (44 lb) HE CM-501X: 20 kg (44 lb) HE CM-501XA: 8.5 kg (19 lb) HE CM-502: 11 kg (24 lb) HE/SAP-HE^[source]
Detonation mechanism	Mk-1: Radio proximity fuze Mk-2: Optical proximity fuze^[source]	Impact / Proximity / Semi-armor-piercing^[source]
Engine	Mk-1: Solid-propellant rocket Mk-2: Dual-thrust pulsed rocket motor Mk-3: Solid Fuel Ducted Ramjet^[source]	CM-501G/GA/CM-502: solid-fuel rocket CM-501X/XA: turbojet with rocket booster^[source]
Propellant	Solid fuel^[source]	solid fuel^[source]
Flight ceiling	20 km (66,000 ft)^[source]	—
Guidance system	Mid-course: FOG - INS + Mid-course update via datalink Terminal: ARH^[source]	All variant: Datalink + Satellite + INS CM-501G: Combined IIR , SAL CM-501GA: Combined IIR , TV CM-501X/XA: TV / IIR / passive radar / combined IIR with mmW CM-502: TV/ IIR /SAL^[source]
Launch platform	Su-30MKI MiG-29K Tejas Mk.1/1A MiG-29UPG (Trial-phase) HAL Tejas Mk2 (Planned) AMCA (Planned) TEDBF (Planned) Rafale Marine (Planned)^[source]	Air-launched, vertical launch system on ground, naval vehicles.^[source]
Reported operators	—	Reported operator · China Reported operator · Pakistan Reported operator · Turkmenistan

FORCETALLY

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Astra (missile)

CM-501

Speed

Mk-1: Mach 4.5^[source]

CM-502: Mach 1.1^[source]

Type

Beyond-visual-range air-to-air missile^[source]

anti-ship , anti-tank , land-attack missile / loitering munition^[source]

Place of origin

India^[source]

China^[source]

In service

2019 ( 2019 ) –present^[source]

2019-present^[source]

Used by

Indian Air Force Indian Navy^[source]

People's Liberation Army^[source]

Wars

2025 India–Pakistan conflict^[source]

—

Designer

Defence Research and Development Laboratory ( DRDO )^[source]

—

Manufacturer

Bharat Dynamics Limited^[source]

China Aerospace Science and Industry Corporation (CASIC)^[source]

Unit cost

Mk-1: ₹ 7−8 crore (US$−830,000)^[source]

depends on models^[source]

Produced

2017 − Present^[source]

2010s-present^[source]

Variants

Mk-1 (Operational) Mk-2 (LSP) Mk-3 (Trial-phase) VL-SRSAM (Trial-phase)^[source]

—

Warhead

High-explosive pre- fragmented HMX / PU^[source]

CM-501G: 40 kg (88 lb) HE CM-501GA: 20 kg (44 lb) HE CM-501X: 20 kg (44 lb) HE CM-501XA: 8.5 kg (19 lb) HE CM-502: 11 kg (24 lb) HE/SAP-HE^[source]

Detonation mechanism

Mk-1: Radio proximity fuze Mk-2: Optical proximity fuze^[source]

Impact / Proximity / Semi-armor-piercing^[source]

Engine

Mk-1: Solid-propellant rocket Mk-2: Dual-thrust pulsed rocket motor Mk-3: Solid Fuel Ducted Ramjet^[source]

CM-501G/GA/CM-502: solid-fuel rocket CM-501X/XA: turbojet with rocket booster^[source]

Propellant

Solid fuel^[source]

solid fuel^[source]

Flight ceiling

20 km (66,000 ft)^[source]

—

Guidance system

Mid-course: FOG - INS + Mid-course update via datalink Terminal: ARH^[source]

All variant: Datalink + Satellite + INS CM-501G: Combined IIR , SAL CM-501GA: Combined IIR , TV CM-501X/XA: TV / IIR / passive radar / combined IIR with mmW CM-502: TV/ IIR /SAL^[source]

Launch platform

Su-30MKI MiG-29K Tejas Mk.1/1A MiG-29UPG (Trial-phase) HAL Tejas Mk2 (Planned) AMCA (Planned) TEDBF (Planned) Rafale Marine (Planned)^[source]

Air-launched, vertical launch system on ground, naval vehicles.^[source]

Reported operators

—

Reported operator · China
Reported operator · Pakistan
Reported operator · Turkmenistan