Impressive. Very very impressive analysis.What kind of a SAM would you like to face off with if you were a pilot?
One that is quick, carries thrust giving multiple passes and demands very short reaction time from the evading pilot and the off board sensors put out so much power that you cannot ever jam them.
OR
One that travels very long ranges with a Mach cone shining on the IRST at 500 degree celsius for a very long time in a predictable path facing you and just when it fires up its second pulse you are able to simply change directions and break lock from the small field of regard that the onboard sensors can muster.
There is no match, Akash fire control radars put out >70KW peak power. That is way more than anything that anybody can muster flying in a fighter plane. So you cannot jam a superior burn through performance.
Theoretically you could launch an anti radiation missile at the Akash radar but only if you have time for it. Most likely the Akash Group Control Centre has 2/3 BLRs at its disposal over and above the 3D CAR with all data fused and re-transmitted to the Akash Batteries which could be overlapping killing fields or separated by 30 km. You will not even know which BLR switched on for how much time and which of these multiple radars will be guiding the incoming Akash.
You could dive to a lower altitude but the BLR sees you at 30 meters altitude at 20 km range again data fused at GCC and passed on the the Battery Level Command Centre, which is actually the ones guiding the Akash SAM. Not the radars.
You cannot use DFRM on Akash because Akash is command guided.
Now in future the active seeker will take away even the below 30 meter dive for you and add even more uncertainty to the evading pilot. He will be forced to decide if he should be evading the incoming SAM or track and position himself for firing his ARM.
Quick kills are better. Longer ranges are predictable.
Here's the radar horizon infographic for you. So even if you are at 25 ft and the radar at say 10 ft. the range is still 10 nautical miles or 18 km. Can you escape this level of danger to you. Would launch your ARM or would you try to evade.
These glide bombs are going to cost 20000 USD (dumb) + probably 10000 USD (glide mechanism). For a 30000 USD bomb you can either only put in a cheaper missile or go after the aircraft that can launch it.
The task of converting Astra into a short range (probably also quick reaction) SAM doesn't sound that difficult or daunting if you consider that all initial tests of Astra (before aerial tests were initiated) were actually tested as a SAM - launched from ground in almost vertical orientation!
No, its not at all daunting or impossible. Its very much possible. But what I am saying is that you cant use an AAM as a SAM in its basic configuration.
Agreed. There will be some minor reconfiguration that may be required like software changes, possibly providing additional thrust during the boost phase (without using an explicit booster). This becomes all the more attractive with Astra Mk2 (which is developed with larger range and better maneuverability). Just as a way of example: Remember that both Python and Derby exist in both SAM and AAM versions.
not exactly fighter but EA-6B Prowler APS 130 and there is a new system on the horizon too.What kind of a SAM would you like to face off with if you were a pilot?
One that is quick, carries thrust giving multiple passes and demands very short reaction time from the evading pilot and the off board sensors put out so much power that you cannot ever jam them.
OR
One that travels very long ranges with a Mach cone shining on the IRST at 500 degree celsius for a very long time in a predictable path facing you and just when it fires up its second pulse you are able to simply change directions and break lock from the small field of regard (tracking mode) or range, that the onboard sensors can muster.
There is no match, Akash fire control radars put out >70KW peak power. That is way more than anything that anybody can muster flying in a fighter plane. So you cannot jam a superior burn through performance.
Theoretically you could launch an anti radiation missile at the Akash radar but only if you have time for it. Most likely the Akash Group Control Centre has 2/3 BLRs at its disposal over and above the 3D CAR with all data fused and re-transmitted to the Akash Batteries which could be overlapping killing fields or separated by 30 km. You will not even know which BLR switched on for how much time and which of these multiple radars will be providing the inputs for guiding the incoming Akash.
You could dive to a lower altitude but the BLR sees you at 30 meters altitude at 20 km range again data fused at GCC and passed on the the Battery Level Command Centre, which is actually the ones guiding the Akash SAM. Not the radars. And BLRs would be coming on at the very last few moments. Most times the 3D CAR based data fused guidance provided by GCC and uplinked to the Akash by the BCC will be working.
You cannot use DIRCM or DFRM on Akash because Akash is command guided.
Now in future the active seeker will take away even the below 30 meter dive for you and add even more uncertainty to the evading pilot. He will be forced to decide if he should be evading the incoming SAM or track and position himself for firing his ARM.
Quick kills are better. Longer ranges are predictable.
Here's the radar horizon infographic for you. So even if you are at 25 ft and the radar at say 10 ft. the range is still 10 nautical miles or 18 km. Can you escape this level of danger to you. Would launch your ARM or would you try to evade.
This is what I said culled from the official advertisements:not exactly fighter but EA-6B Prowler APS 130 and there is a new system on the horizon too.
https://www.forecastinternational.com/archive/disp_old_pdf.cfm?ARC_ID=73
.
You mean this chasis is similar to SA 6 ?
Their are few difference from outside, But dimensional wise, Akash is perhaps longer and fatter than SA-6 so does its rear fins and outlet nozzles are different.
I guess peak power would be around 107 and they can run it at 107 too, don't know for how much time, though the technical data says 100 KWThis is what I said culled from the official advertisements:
"Akash fire control radars put out >70KW peak power"
I did not say that peak power was exactly 70KW, just as the official advertisements did not say that either
Russian radars of equal size/roles were putting out 270KW in peak power about a decade back.
For APS-130 the peak power is 100 KW. And with a radar Weight of 173 kg it would be interesting to see how long it can maintain that peak performance. APS-146 is listed at 60KW peak power.
This is what I said culled from the official advertisements:
"Akash fire control radars put out >70KW peak power"
I did not say that peak power was exactly 70KW, just as the official advertisements did not say that either
Russian radars of equal size/roles were putting out 270KW in peak power about a decade back.
For APS-130 the peak power is 100 KW. And with a radar Weight of 173 kg it would be interesting to see how long it can maintain that peak performance. APS-146 is listed at 60KW peak power.
Akash MK2 dubbed as Akash NG will be of range 40Km.
