Astra BVRAAM

[p2prada]

What exactly is the range of MICA? it has been quoted differently from 50 to 80 kms and MICA NG likely to have nearly 100kms range due to miniaturisation of onboard electronics freeing space for more powder.

MBDA has focussed more on improving the end game and NEZ of the missile rather than increase range. It is still a 110 Kg missile which is roughly in the R-73 and Derby weight class.

The Aim-120C-5/6/7 weighs around 160 Kg. The motor weight is 71 Kg. Propellent weight is estimated to be about 45 Kg, ~20 Kg for warhead, seeker should weigh at least 10 Kg and another 10-14 Kg for the rest.

Even with miniaturisation of the electronics, the weight savings is just a few Kgs and won't translate into doubling the range. So the same would apply for MICA. The R-77s earliest seekers weighed over 30 Kgs and today they weigh 10 Kgs. We will need such a major weight saving if we are to increase MICA's range dramatically.

Comparatively, the Aim-120C-8 or Aim-120D weighs 225 Kg with a straight shot range of 120 Km and a loft trajectory of 180 Km. Maybe because the dual pulse motor increases the weight to a larger extent. But this kind of a design on MICA NG would mean greater weight and hence more propellent. That would still bring it into the 150-200 Kg class.

Overall, I believe MICA NG will continue to have the same range but better performance specs with an increase in seeker capability while Meteor will provide the 100 Km capability that the French need. After all MBDA's intention is to make a cheaper missile to complement the Meteor.

 

[A chauhan]

Rise of Astra version 2.0

Published July 3, 2013 | By admin
SOURCE: VINAYAK SHETTY FOR IDRW.ORG

It was almost decade back in 2003 when for first time Astra was tested without control and guidance systems in media tests were dubbed Successful but in actual, missiles failed to clear mission objectives and it was re-tested again with marginal success in following years , until time came when Missile was back on drawing board and scientist ditched old design and worked on a new missile design .

It was only in 2012 when newly designed missile was tested again with total success, achieving the entire mission objectives, according to sources who informed idrw.org that it was most challenging and complex missile program DRDO and its labs had ever taken and admitted earlier missile was unstable in flights.

Captive flight trials in a Sukhoi-30MKI were successfully carried out this summer and first test firing of missile from Sukhoi-30 will be carried out by end of this year, once it achieves success missile will be integrated with indigenously developed Lca Tejas fighter aircraft by 2015.

DRDO have informed that Astra-1 will have 44km range and Astra-2 will have range close to 100km, but sources have informed idrw.org is that Astra-2 will not replace former but will be used in combination with Astra-1 by fighter aircrafts of Indian air force.

DRDO is planning to complete User trails by mid of 2015 and put Astra-1 in production by end of 2015 and new Astra-2 will likely be ready in Next three years. Missile according to sources will have similar design but will weigh more and will have better and advance seeker.

Sources have hinted that likely spin off Astra project will be development of advance mobile anti-aircraft missile system. System will be quick reaction missile system with 360° engagement capability that can engage aircraft, helicopters and drones.

Rise of Astra version 2.0 | idrw.org

 

[Neil]

With successful captive trials completed in April, and a fully reconfigured missile now ready for the next phase of development testing, India's indigenous beyond visual range air-to-air missile Astra is set for its debut firing from an aircraft by the end of this year. As first reported in SP's Aviation in March this year, 2013 has been christened 'Astra Year' by DRDO in light of expectations that the Astra beyond visual range air-to-air missile will finally see a flight test firing from an IAF aircraft.

Now, it is confirmed that it will happen. It has also now learnt that while the base version Astra Mk.1 will have an intercept range of 44 km, it will be the Astra Mk.2 that will be a true force multiplier weapon, with an intercept range in excess of 100 km. That, at any rate, is the intended configuration. The Astra will be deployed from underwing hardpoints on the Su-30MKI, not wingtip pylons as earlier intended. The Astra is an all-weather all aspect beyond visual range and close combat missile that will be deployed on the IAF's LCA Tejas, Su-30MKI, Mirage-2000 and possible, the Rafale MMRCA in the future too. The missile sports active radar terminal guidance (dual mode guidance), smokeless propulsion, improve electronic counter-countermeasures and what the DRDO calls improved effectiveness in a multi-target scenario.


Astra missile to be fired, two variants revealed | idrw.org

 

[Neeraj Mathur]

Astra missile to be fired, two variants revealed

With successful captive trials completed in April, and a fully reconfigured missile now ready for the next phase of development testing, India's indigenous beyond visual range air-to-air missile Astra is set for its debut firing from an aircraft by the end of this year. As first reported in SP's Aviation in March this year, 2013 has been christened 'Astra Year' by DRDO in light of expectations that the Astra beyond visual range air-to-air missile will finally see a flight test firing from an IAF aircraft.

Now, it is confirmed that it will happen. It has also now learnt that while the base version Astra Mk.1 will have an intercept range of 44 km, it will be the Astra Mk.2 that will be a true force multiplier weapon, with an intercept range in excess of 100 km. That, at any rate, is the intended configuration. The Astra will be deployed from underwing hardpoints on the Su-30MKI, not wingtip pylons as earlier intended. The Astra is an all-weather all aspect beyond visual range and close combat missile that will be deployed on the IAF's LCA Tejas, Su-30MKI, Mirage-2000 and possible, the Rafale MMRCA in the future too. The missile sports active radar terminal guidance (dual mode guidance), smokeless propulsion, improve electronic counter-countermeasures and what the DRDO calls improved effectiveness in a multi-target scenario.

Astra missile to be fired, two variants revealed | idrw.org

 

[Kunal Biswas]

One of the nice feature of ASTRA is its smokeless..

 

[LETHALFORCE]

One for the Sukhois and one for Tejas.

 

[TrueSpirit]

One of the nice feature of ASTRA is its smokeless..

Does that makes it harder to evade & intercept ? Which other A-A missiles exhibit this characteristic ?

 

[arnabmit]

More captive flight tests of ASTRA BVRAAM on Su-30MKI | idrw.org

The indigenous Astra beyond visual-range air-to-air missile has been captive flight tested again on the Su-30MKI, following successful tests in April this year as earlier reported by SP's. The IAF is watching keenly as the ambitious weapon system proves itself on the air dominance platform, and is hoping for a test firing from the Su-30MKI this year.

According to HAL, captive flight test for the Astra missile on the Su-30MKI aircraft was planned in three phases: Phase-1, to carry out aero-structural and mechanical integrity for carriage of Astra under steady and manoeuvering conditions, Phase-2 to carry out validation of weapon control system and its electrical and avionic interfaces with Astra missile and in Phase-3, to check the performance of missile system in transmitting and receiving mode of missile seeker with designated target under different flight conditions and the live firing of the Astra missile from the aircraft. As first reported by SP's, while the base version Astra Mk.1 will have an intercept range of 44-km, it will be the Astra Mk.2 that will be a true force multiplier weapon, with an intercept range in excess of 100-km.

 

[makmohan]

Carriage trials of Astra Bvr Missiles begins on Su-30 - Carriage trials of Astra Bvr Missiles begins on Su-30 | idrw.org

Corridors in the Missile Complex here are abuzz with the extensive carriage trials of 'Astra' with Sukhoi-30 aircraft in Pune. 'Astra,' theBeyond- Visual-Range (BVR), Air-to-Air Missile, has been indigenously developed by the Defence Research and Development Laboratory (DRDL) here under the Integrated Guided Missile Development Programme of India. A team of scientists and other officials from DRDL are already in Pune and the carriage trials which began on November 29 are expected to continue until mid or last week of December spread over at least two scores of sorties.

Development trials of Astra in December 2012 from Integrated Test Range at Chandipur, Odisha, were successful in targeting, Lakshya, the Pilotless Target Aircraft (PTA). However, the litmus test after integrating the Beyond-Visual-Range Air-to-Air Missile (BVRAAM) with Su-30 is still pending. It is to be mentioned that after much wait and delay involving almost 10 years of development trials by Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) since 2003, the missile has finally been integrated with Su-30 for the user trials by the Indian Air Force (IAF).

The missile is being developed to lace up or arm various IAF aircrafts including Tejas, Mirage 2000, Su-30 MKI and even the Sea Harrier. Official sources disclosed that every system and sub-system along with various parameters is being tested one by one to avoid any repetition of these tests. These carriage trials shall be assessed on a modified Su-30 aircraft involving various parameters with respect to missile's compatibility with the aircraft in terms of avionics etc.
Astra can carry a 15kg High Explosive warhead at a Mach 4 speed. It can engage maneuvering targets moving at high supersonic speeds and varying distances and heights and has a proximity fuse. A laser fuse has been developed by DRDO while Software Development Institute (SDI) of the IAF in Bangalore using the Sukhoi test rig has been carrying out the electronic integration of aircraft avionics with Astra on-board equipment. The missile itself can be launched from various altitudes with varying ranges
The 3.8 metre long, single stage, solid fuelled missile is finally expected to have two different versions for different altitudes and ranges including Astra Mark-I which shall have a range of 44km and Astra Mark-II with a range of over 100km. Astra can cruise at various altitudes while evading radar and intercepting and engaging the 'supersonic targets' by manoeuvring its speed accordingly. Armed with superior Electronic Warfare capabilities, its Electronic Counter-Counter Measures lends it immunity from being followed and targeted.
In the absence of a low-cost indigenous BVRAAM, IAF has been importing missiles from Israel, Russia and France to equip its fighter fleet. DRDO is aiming at clearing 'Astra' for induction into the IAF by 2015. So far, the successfully tested systems of the missile include the aerodynamics, propulsion system, control and guidance systems, dual mode guidance, night trials, various angles of attack and performance under various weather conditions etc. during its development trials

 

[LETHALFORCE]

I am surprised we did not do carriage trials on lca? Astra must be close to operational if being tested on sukhois.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk - now Free

 

[ersakthivel]

Carriage trials of Astra Bvr Missiles begins on Su-30 - Carriage trials of Astra Bvr Missiles begins on Su-30 | idrw.org

Corridors in the Missile Complex here are abuzz with the extensive carriage trials of 'Astra' with Sukhoi-30 aircraft in Pune. 'Astra,' theBeyond- Visual-Range (BVR), Air-to-Air Missile, has been indigenously developed by the Defence Research and Development Laboratory (DRDL) here under the Integrated Guided Missile Development Programme of India. A team of scientists and other officials from DRDL are already in Pune and the carriage trials which began on November 29 are expected to continue until mid or last week of December spread over at least two scores of sorties.

Development trials of Astra in December 2012 from Integrated Test Range at Chandipur, Odisha, were successful in targeting, Lakshya, the Pilotless Target Aircraft (PTA). However, the litmus test after integrating the Beyond-Visual-Range Air-to-Air Missile (BVRAAM) with Su-30 is still pending. It is to be mentioned that after much wait and delay involving almost 10 years of development trials by Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) since 2003, the missile has finally been integrated with Su-30 for the user trials by the Indian Air Force (IAF).

The missile is being developed to lace up or arm various IAF aircrafts including Tejas, Mirage 2000, Su-30 MKI and even the Sea Harrier. Official sources disclosed that every system and sub-system along with various parameters is being tested one by one to avoid any repetition of these tests. These carriage trials shall be assessed on a modified Su-30 aircraft involving various parameters with respect to missile's compatibility with the aircraft in terms of avionics etc.
Astra can carry a 15kg High Explosive warhead at a Mach 4 speed. It can engage maneuvering targets moving at high supersonic speeds and varying distances and heights and has a proximity fuse. A laser fuse has been developed by DRDO while Software Development Institute (SDI) of the IAF in Bangalore using the Sukhoi test rig has been carrying out the electronic integration of aircraft avionics with Astra on-board equipment. The missile itself can be launched from various altitudes with varying ranges
The 3.8 metre long, single stage, solid fuelled missile is finally expected to have two different versions for different altitudes and ranges including Astra Mark-I which shall have a range of 44km and Astra Mark-II with a range of over 100km. Astra can cruise at various altitudes while evading radar and intercepting and engaging the 'supersonic targets' by manoeuvring its speed accordingly. Armed with superior Electronic Warfare capabilities, its Electronic Counter-Counter Measures lends it immunity from being followed and targeted.
In the absence of a low-cost indigenous BVRAAM, IAF has been importing missiles from Israel, Russia and France to equip its fighter fleet. DRDO is aiming at clearing 'Astra' for induction into the IAF by 2015. So far, the successfully tested systems of the missile include the aerodynamics, propulsion system, control and guidance systems, dual mode guidance, night trials, various angles of attack and performance under various weather conditions etc. during its development trials

The 44 Km range quoted for ASTRA mk-1 in the article above is the range at 8 Km altitude.

At high altitude Astra mk-1 has 80 Km range and mk-2 has 100 plus Km range.

ttp://newindianexpress.com/states/odisha/article1390559.ece

India on Saturday successfully test-fired a reconfigured version of its beyond visual range (BVR) new generation air-to-air missile 'Astra' from the integrated test range (ITR) at Chandipur off the Odisha coast.

Defence sources said, the missile was fired from the launching complex – II of the ITR at about 3.30 pm. The missile successfully intercepted a pilotless target aircraft (PTA) – Lakshya, flown around 15 minutes prior to the launching of the missile, mid air. The test came a day after a similar trial conducted from the same test range.

ITR Director MVKV Prasad said the mission was successful as it validated all data as expected. "The missile was fired against a live pilotless target aircraft. The interception was done at an altitude of 4 km. All the mission objectives have been met," he told 'The New Indian Express'.

The trial was reportedly carried out to test the missile's reconfigured guidance systems, avionics and the functioning of the communication in Radio Frequency. Entirely a complex missile Astra has been designed to intercept fast-moving aerial targets at supersonic speeds.

Developed by the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), Astra is designed for an 80-km range in head-on mode and 20 km-range in tail-chase mode. As an anti-aircraft missile it can be fired after receiving a signal from the far away target through its onboard manoeuvres based on radio frequency.

"One of its versions having 90 to 110 km range can cruise at an altitude of 15 km, another having a range of 44 km can destroy a target at an altitude up to 30,000 ft while the third one with a range of 30 km is capable of hitting the target at sea level altitude," said a defence scientist.

After the post mission analysis, a source informed that though the missile did not directly hit the PTA, but it destroyed the target through its onboard proximity fuse, which means the missile passed very close to the aircraft and hence the mission was accomplished.

Astra is a 'state of the art' being developed for the air force. The 3.8 metres long missile, which has launch weight about 154 kg, uses solid-fuel propellant and a 15 kg high-explosive warhead, activated by a proximity fuse.

Sources said there would be another test on Monday when the missile is expected to intercept a simulated electronic target, which will be followed by launches from various aerial platforms.

"After the developmental trials, the DRDO would go for aerial tests of the missile. Though it is an air-to-air missile, the tests on Friday and Saturday were conducted from specially built ground launchers," Prasad said.

The launch was witnessed by Scientific Adviser to Defence Minister and DRDO chief Vijay Kumar Saraswat, CC R&D (Missiles and Strategic Systems) Avinash Chander, DRDL Director AK Chakrabarti, Astra Program Director N Prabhakar and Project Director S Venugopal.

 

[Agnostic_Indian]

Does that makes it harder to evade & intercept ? Which other A-A missiles exhibit this characteristic ?

smokeless means visual identification and tracking is difficult, it might also have an effect on IR detection and warning. And I think almost every new gen misSiles have this feature.

 

[Twinblade]

For those still confused on whether this is the Astra mk2 or not, here's another angle.

 

[cobra commando]

Astra carriage trials successfully in progress

While the Tejas team gets set to test the Derby BVRAAM as part of the FOC regime, a team in Pune is ticking off performance points on the indigenous Astra indigenous BVRAAM. The missile, integrated with a modified Su-30MKI is currently undergoing carriage trials, the final phase of trials before a first ever test-firing from an airborne platform next year. As reported earlier by SP's, captive flight test for the Astra missile on the Su-30MKI aircraft was planned in three phases: Phase-1, to carry out aero- structural and mechanical integrity for carriage of Astra under steady and manoeuvering conditions, Phase-2 to carry out validation of weapon control system and its electrical and avionic interfaces with Astra missile and in Phase-3, to check the performance of missile system in transmitting and receiving mode of missile seeker with designated target under different flight conditions. While the Astra Mk.1 will have an intercept range of 44-km, it will be the Astra Mk.2 that will be a true force multiplier weapon, with an intercept range in excess of 100-km—work has already begun on expanding the performance of the baseline missile version. The Astra will ultimately be tested on the Tejas Mk.1 before it becomes the standard fit weapon on the Tejas Mk.2.


SP's Aviation - SP’s Exculsive

 

[shuvo@y2k10]

does that mean astra mk1 has 3 different variants-80km,44km,30km range or is it the range of the same missile at decreasing altitude/

 

[sayareakd]

For those still confused on whether this is the Astra mk2 or not, here's another angle.

here is the Astra earlier model

one before that

notice how fins got shorter and shorter................

 

[Twinblade]

here is the Astra earlier model

one before that

notice how fins got shorter and shorter................

It seems like the current Astra design wasn't even in the picture back in 2009.

^^It started off as a very rear wing mounted design, circa mid 2000s

^^Then the wings moved more mid body (or the missile was shortened) late 2000s

Around this time the missile was probably going through redesign. Two designs are displayed in a 2009 DRDL document.

One is a low aspect ratio design that was being used at that time and another is a high aspect ratio design (like Derby), both having the same surface area.
(The document from which these are from is perhaps the only document in which the name B-05 for Sagarika is mentioned, 4 years before it was made public. http://drdo.gov.in/drdo/pub/dss/2009/main/38-DRDL.pdf)

2012-13 we get to see the current design.

 

[Apollyon]

does that mean astra mk1 has 3 different variants-80km,44km,30km range or is it the range of the same missile at decreasing altitude/

Those are the range at different altitudes not 3 different versions of same missile.

 

[makmohan]

Drdo prepares to test Astra missiles | idrw.org

After the successful launch of the Agni IV ballistic missile, Indian defence scientists are preparing to test the long-delayed, indigenous, beyond visual range, air-to-air missile Astra, in the coming weeks.

Astra, meant for the IAF's combat jets, will be test-fired within a month, officials said.
The missile has already been fitted on Sukhoi-30 MKIs at selected IAF bases and trial runs are underway.
The Astra will soon be fired from the Defence Research and Development Organisation's (DRDO) test facility at Chandipur-on-sea.

The BVR missile can engage targets in the range of between 20 and 80km. The officials said preparations are in full swing.
The missile has an active radar seeker and internal guidance system to lock on targets. The IAF currently uses imported R-77s and super 530D BVR missiles.
The production of the indigenous missile Astra will be a crucial milestone for India's defence technology capability.

The missile, which had failed during earlier trials, can be fitted on an entire range of combat jets under operation in the IAF and also the soon-to-be-inducted Tejas Light Combat Aircraft.
The success of Astra is crucial as it will add another feather to the DRDO's cap. The organisation claims to have made progress on stalled projects in recent months.

 

[Kunal Biswas]

Illiterate Media Journos, Which country developed a BVR in just a decade from scratch ?