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BVR Astra missile warming up for aircraft release in 2013
BVRAstramissilewarmingupforaircraftreleasein2013;re-engineeredweapontoundergomorecaptiveflighttrailsin2012Astraduringgroundtrials
CaptiveflighttrialsonSu-30MKI
.
Tarmak007 -- A bold blog on Indian defence: BVR Astra missile warming up for aircraft release in 2013; re-engineered weapon to undergo more captive flight trails in 2012
.
Bangalore/Hyderabad: India is all geared up to
conduct the release flight trails (firing) of the
beyond visual range air-to-air missile (BVR-AAM)
Astra, being developed by the Defence Research
and Development Organisation (DRDO). Sources
tell Express that the the missile configuration has
been re-engineered after going through five
ballistic and 13 control flights. With all its
subsystems being qualified for airworthiness it
will be ready for release flight trials for the first
time from a Sukhoi (Su-30MKI) fighter during the
first quarter of 2013.
In the meantime, captive flight trials (a total of
eight) have been conducted on the aircraft in
2010-11 for establishing the structural integrity of
the aircraft with the missiles for the complete
flight envelope. The Rs 955-crore project was
sanctioned in 2004 to develop two versions
(Mk-1: 50 km & Mk-II: 100 km) for the Indian Air
Force (IAF).
The programme ran into rough weather for an
year owing to controllability issues and higher
than expected rolling moments at high angles of
attack. The new symmetric configuration fully
addresses these concerns and the whole of 2012
will be dedicated to testing a number of missiles
from the ground to prove the configuration and
engagement envelopes. Two subsystems had
also to be re-designed and re-packaged to meet
the new system configuration. "There are too
many conflicting requirements for an air-to-air
missile such as stability and safe release coupled
with high agility during engagement against the
target aircraft. We have sorted all the issues
now," sources said.
"During the captive trials the total structural
integrity of the missile and the launcher (modified
one used by R-73 missile) on Sukhoi has been
tested. Vibrations, shock and strains on the
missile and the launcher at all altitudes and Mach
numbers (-1 to 9 'g') were tested. As we are
proving the missile, the platform is also getting
proven and readied. The missile will be first
integrated on Sukhoi, then Tejas and finally on to
the MiG-29," sources said.
DRDO hopes to have the production versions of
Astra Mkl-I & II on the three different fighters by
2016. "We have got two Su-30MKI aircraft from
the IAF which has come with all modifications.
Integration of the aircraft avionics with the missile
on-board equipment are being carried out using
the Sukhoi test rig at IAF's Software Development
Institute in Bangalore. This will further undergo
rigorous checks during the captive flight trials
planned in mid-2012 for qualifying the electronic
integrity in flight using a metric missile," sources
said.
A young 50-member team in their mid-30s are
putting their act together to take the project
forward. This is the first air-to-air missile being
developed in India, which is claimed to match
more than MICA, Meteor (both French) and
AMRAAM (US). The home-grown Tejas fighter
will probably get a taste of Astra missile during
the last quarter of 2013.
Every material from metal, airframes, propellant,
fasteners, wires to electronics have to be certified
for airworthiness and the Centre for Military
Airworthiness and Certification with the Regional
Centres for Military Airworthiness (Missiles) & (Air-
Armament) are on an overtime mode to achieve
these goals.
The biggest challenge for the missile will be to
demonstrate its capabilities against subsonic and
supersonic targets. To make the project enter
production phase early, the sub-systems of Astra
are being made by multiple industries, to enable
faster delivery of identical systems. "We have no
issues as far as subsystems are concerned.
Efforts are also on to develop a parallel agency for
production and system integration," sources said.
Today, the mainstay of the IAF are the Russian-
made R-73 and R-27 missiles and once the Tejas
gets operational, the Israeli-made Derby too will
join the party. India has already developed a dual-
pulse rocket motor (enahances the range) for
Astra Mk-II. "Self reliance in air launched missile
and particularly air-to-air system is of strategic
importance considering the new paradigm of air
superiority warfare," sources said.
Astra project is a tech-treat considering the
miniaturization of the systems, including on-
board computer, data links for transmitter/
receiver and rotary electro-mechanical actuators.
A smokeless, non-metallized high-specific
impulse propellant was developed for the rocket
motor.
The missile will use 'Agat' seeker from Russia
which will be produced in India through a total
transfer-of-technology process. The development
programe will see about 100-plus missiles
produced intially, thanks to the two variants and
different platforms.
BVRAstramissilewarmingupforaircraftreleasein2013;re-engineeredweapontoundergomorecaptiveflighttrailsin2012Astraduringgroundtrials
.
Tarmak007 -- A bold blog on Indian defence: BVR Astra missile warming up for aircraft release in 2013; re-engineered weapon to undergo more captive flight trails in 2012
.
Bangalore/Hyderabad: India is all geared up to
conduct the release flight trails (firing) of the
beyond visual range air-to-air missile (BVR-AAM)
Astra, being developed by the Defence Research
and Development Organisation (DRDO). Sources
tell Express that the the missile configuration has
been re-engineered after going through five
ballistic and 13 control flights. With all its
subsystems being qualified for airworthiness it
will be ready for release flight trials for the first
time from a Sukhoi (Su-30MKI) fighter during the
first quarter of 2013.
In the meantime, captive flight trials (a total of
eight) have been conducted on the aircraft in
2010-11 for establishing the structural integrity of
the aircraft with the missiles for the complete
flight envelope. The Rs 955-crore project was
sanctioned in 2004 to develop two versions
(Mk-1: 50 km & Mk-II: 100 km) for the Indian Air
Force (IAF).
The programme ran into rough weather for an
year owing to controllability issues and higher
than expected rolling moments at high angles of
attack. The new symmetric configuration fully
addresses these concerns and the whole of 2012
will be dedicated to testing a number of missiles
from the ground to prove the configuration and
engagement envelopes. Two subsystems had
also to be re-designed and re-packaged to meet
the new system configuration. "There are too
many conflicting requirements for an air-to-air
missile such as stability and safe release coupled
with high agility during engagement against the
target aircraft. We have sorted all the issues
now," sources said.
"During the captive trials the total structural
integrity of the missile and the launcher (modified
one used by R-73 missile) on Sukhoi has been
tested. Vibrations, shock and strains on the
missile and the launcher at all altitudes and Mach
numbers (-1 to 9 'g') were tested. As we are
proving the missile, the platform is also getting
proven and readied. The missile will be first
integrated on Sukhoi, then Tejas and finally on to
the MiG-29," sources said.
DRDO hopes to have the production versions of
Astra Mkl-I & II on the three different fighters by
2016. "We have got two Su-30MKI aircraft from
the IAF which has come with all modifications.
Integration of the aircraft avionics with the missile
on-board equipment are being carried out using
the Sukhoi test rig at IAF's Software Development
Institute in Bangalore. This will further undergo
rigorous checks during the captive flight trials
planned in mid-2012 for qualifying the electronic
integrity in flight using a metric missile," sources
said.
A young 50-member team in their mid-30s are
putting their act together to take the project
forward. This is the first air-to-air missile being
developed in India, which is claimed to match
more than MICA, Meteor (both French) and
AMRAAM (US). The home-grown Tejas fighter
will probably get a taste of Astra missile during
the last quarter of 2013.
Every material from metal, airframes, propellant,
fasteners, wires to electronics have to be certified
for airworthiness and the Centre for Military
Airworthiness and Certification with the Regional
Centres for Military Airworthiness (Missiles) & (Air-
Armament) are on an overtime mode to achieve
these goals.
The biggest challenge for the missile will be to
demonstrate its capabilities against subsonic and
supersonic targets. To make the project enter
production phase early, the sub-systems of Astra
are being made by multiple industries, to enable
faster delivery of identical systems. "We have no
issues as far as subsystems are concerned.
Efforts are also on to develop a parallel agency for
production and system integration," sources said.
Today, the mainstay of the IAF are the Russian-
made R-73 and R-27 missiles and once the Tejas
gets operational, the Israeli-made Derby too will
join the party. India has already developed a dual-
pulse rocket motor (enahances the range) for
Astra Mk-II. "Self reliance in air launched missile
and particularly air-to-air system is of strategic
importance considering the new paradigm of air
superiority warfare," sources said.
Astra project is a tech-treat considering the
miniaturization of the systems, including on-
board computer, data links for transmitter/
receiver and rotary electro-mechanical actuators.
A smokeless, non-metallized high-specific
impulse propellant was developed for the rocket
motor.
The missile will use 'Agat' seeker from Russia
which will be produced in India through a total
transfer-of-technology process. The development
programe will see about 100-plus missiles
produced intially, thanks to the two variants and
different platforms.
