India’s Tejas Mk1A Light Combat Aircraft has been spotted for the first time carrying ELL-8212/8222 jamming pods and Astra Mk1 Beyond Visual Range (BVR) missiles, signaling a major upgrade in its operational readiness. Developed by Israel’s ELTA Systems, the self-protection pods offer strong defense against radar-guided threats, while their lightweight and aerodynamic design enables them to be mounted on wingtip stations with minimal performance tradeoff. The Astra missiles further extend the Tejas’s strike capability, making it more versatile in modern air combat.
