IAF lines up series of sleek ‘Astra’ trials from Monday

BHUBANESWAR: Indian Air Force (IAF) is slated to carry out a series of captive trials of indigenously developed beyond visual range (BVR) air-to-air missile ‘Astra’ from a fighter aircraft from Monday.
Defence sources said the missile will be fired from Sukhoi-30 MKI aircraft targeting a Pilotless Target Aircraft (PTA) at different altitudes from different angles over the Bay of Bengal to reconfirm the killing efficiency of the all-terrain and all-weather weapon system.



The anti-aircraft missile, considered one of the best of its kind in the world, will be tested for three days. Altogether, three rounds of the missile have reportedly been planned to be test-fired.

The focus is on to achieve success during all the three trials this time as a coordinated air exercise on Wednesday reportedly ended in failure as the missile nose-dived after it was fired from the aircraft and exploded on the sea beach causing enormous noise.

The missile was first tested from the aircraft at a naval range in the western sector on May 4, 2014. ‘Astra,’ which possesses high single shot kill probability making it highly reliable, is the first homegrown missile to be fired from Sukhoi-30 MKI.

“The captive trials are aimed at establishing the compatibility of the missile’s electronics with the Su-30MKI avionics. Apart from Sukhoi, the missile can be integrated with Mirage-2000, MiG-29, Jaguar and Tejas Light Combat Aircraft (LCA),” a defence official said.

The single stage, solid fuelled ‘Astra’ missile is more advanced in its category than the contemporary BVR missiles and is capable of engaging and destroying highly manoeuvrable supersonic aerial targets.

The 3.8-metre long missile, which has a diameter of 178 mm, can carry about 15 kg of high-explosive warhead, activated by a proximity fuse and be fitted to any fighter aircraft. ‘Astra’ is a futuristic missile and can intercept the target at super-sonic speed of Mach 1.2 to 1.4. The sleek missile, capable of ducking radar eyes, is the smallest of the missiles developed by the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO). After its induction, the missile will be one of the best of its kind in the world in 100 km range.

http://www.newindianexpress.com/sta...f-sleek-astra-trials-from-monday-1547910.html

 

So its confirm. The test earlier reported as failed was of something else.

 

Could be, the test was by design to validate some feature and that the DRDO may not have provided further details to the press on what the test purpose was, so the press applied their own speculative brain by providing "breaking news of breaking Astra" and took it the otherwise, as a failure

 

Good Day!

 

Or maybe till now the missile has been tested and proven against simulated electronic target and the reported failed test was of actual warhead, which is evident of huge explosion and sound. So the missile itself may have been validated and now the validation of warhead maybe taking place. So in fact the failed test may have actually been a successful validation of warhead and thus a success.

 

Did the Astra tests got postponed?

 

‘Near-hit’ Astra test successful
Express News Service
Indian Air Force (IAF) on Monday test fired beyond visual range (BVR) air-to-air missile Astra against an actual target in full operational configuration for the first time over Bay of Bengal paving way for its early induction in the armed forces.
Defence sources said two rounds of the missile from Sukhoi-30 MKI aircraft were targeting pilot-less target aircraft (PTA) Banshee. The mission was termed ‘successful’ considering the missed-distance calculation, though the missile failed to achieve a direct hit.

‘’The missiles were fired both at high and medium altitude. They passed very close to the target and it can be termed near-hit. The mission was conducted in a war-like scenario and the missile was fired on actual targets. Data collected during the tests are being examined,’’ the sources said.
DRDO officials, however, claimed that the mission was excellent. The tests were conducted to demonstrate the aerodynamic characteristics of the missile. It has demonstrated the repeatability, robustness and endurance capability of Astra weapon system, said a senior official.

Indigenously designed and developed by DRDO, Astra possesses high Single Shot Kill Probability (SSKP), making it highly reliable. It is an all-aspect, all-weather missile with active radar terminal guidance, excellent electronic counter-counter measure (ECCM) features, smokeless propulsion and process improved effectiveness in multi-target scenario.
Sources informed that this trial will be followed by two more tests in coming days. Apart from Sukhoi-30 MKI, scientists have started integrating the weapon with homegrown ‘Tejas’ Light Combat Aircraft (LCA).

Astra is designed for an 80-km range in head-on mode and 20 km-range in tail-chase mode. The 3.8 metre long missile, which has launch weight of about 154 kg, uses solid-fuel propellant and a 15 kg high-explosive warhead activated by a proximity fuse.
Fitted with a terminal active radar-seeker and an updated mid-course internal guidance system, the missile can locate and track targets. It is difficult to track this missile as its on-board electronic counter-measures jam signals from the enemy radars.
As an anti-aircraft missile, it can be fired after receiving a signal from the far away target through its on-board manoeuvres based on radio frequency.

http://www.newindianexpress.com/sta...3/near-hit-astra-test-successful-1548501.html

 

May be some change in alogarithm is required to make them hit to kill. sofet ware refinment will make it happen.

 

An offtopic question,
as some people who visit Pks blog know that he prefers Ka band seeker as opposed to ku band for AAD/PDV Missiles? So what does the Ka band seeker offer above Ku band one? @Gessler @randomradio

 

The higher you go, the greater the accuracy, but there's a reduction in range, so you will need more power to compensate.

 

Missiles in this class are fitted with a proximity fuse , where once the target is within the blast radius of the warhead - it will explode. most are NOT direct hit ... The article is another BS word play written by a "first day on the job' journo

 

Higher what? frequency?

 

Yes. Ka is higher frequency than Ku.

https://www.microwaves101.com/encyclopedias/frequency-letter-bands

 

Okay one more question
IIR seeker is also being used on THAAD like missile so what will be the range required for such a seeker... 10-20 km because it will be opened just few km
before engaging? Our Nag missile seeker can be enhanced for this task?

And
Is it okay to use Ku band seeker according to you?

 

IIR seekers are always on. Their range depends on how bright the target burns, so THAAD should be able to see a ballistic missile from hundreds of kilometers away.

Nag can use IIR or mmw seekers. Nag works different from THAAD because THAAD is looking into space while Nag is looking at the ground.

Can't say. Need specs to determine that. It is actually stuff like this that's classified.