Top notch AESA with long range bvr matters a lot for a trained force,had it been the same technology with secured data link with software defined radio the iaf would have gained the complete air supremacy than gaining air superiority ..
"
Key to the Mica NG’s performance is a new bipulse motor developed by Roxel. It provides the weapon with up to 30% more range, reduces its time of flight and boosts power when dealing with highly maneuvering targets.
“We can switch on the second burst whenever we want to. . . . It depends on the type of threat,” the company official says."
"Long ranges" of BVR missiles, i.e the quoted 150 Kms is its ballistic range alone,
after 50 odd (approx) Kms the missile loses the kinetic edge to engage maneuvering target is common knowledge.
Dual pulse of meteor gives it some edge. but not an assured kill at max spec range. because the weight of the propellant is going to be the same, SO no realistic increase in No escape zone possible"
dual pulse means more energy at the end game , but the initial burn through propollent has to be reduced because weight of the missile is also a concern.
Thats what I intended to high light.
our own RAmjet powered SFDR is going to be developed in future. So Tejas 's future armament & sensor path is well defined , it cant be held as a negative.
Meteor has two key techs,
RAMJET & dual pulse.
We already hv ramjet tech in AKASH, the fully powered through out the flight range missile .
Dual pulse motor is not beyond our reach.
SO tejas mk1A losing out on RBE AESA is not a significant disadvantage through out Tejas's lifetime.
Meteor is so costly, I dont know the large number number of Tejas fleet can afford it or not.
If at IAF wanted they could hv specified meteor as basic BVR when they gave MK1A ASR.
They chose not to point towards this angle.
