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India’s homegrown air-to-air missile ‘Astra’ is all set to take its maiden flight. The indigenously developed beyond visual range (BVR) air-to-air missile Astra will add a lethal edge to the fleet of Sukhoi-30MKI, Mig-29, Mirage-2000 and Tejas Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) fighters with the armed forces.
In the upcoming trial, the Astra missile will be mounted on a Sukhoi-30MKI fighter. The test with a Sukhoi-30MKI is called a “captive flight trial” and it will evaluate whether the Astra can endure the physical pressures of supersonic flying and high-speed manoeuvring. Early in 2010, a “captive-II flight trial” will check whether the Astra’s avionics are properly matched with those of the Sukhoi-30MKI.
Astra missile is developed by the state-owned Defence Research and Development Laboratory (DRDL) for the Indian Air Force (IAF). Astra is a high-end tactical missile and is envisaged to intercept enemy aircraft at supersonic speeds in head-on mode at a range of 80 kiometres and in tail-chase mode at 20 kilometres. Astra missile will allow IAF pilots to hit enemy aircraft up to 44 kilometres away, at altitudes up to 20,000 metres. The Astra Mk II, still under development, will have a longer range of 80 kilometres.
In an air-to-air combat scenario, the fighter plane’s radar will detect the enemy target and launch the Astra missile at a supersonic speed facilitated by a high-energy propellant. Since the ‘Astra’ missile cannot see targets at ranges beyond 15 kilometres, the fighter plane guides the missile, relaying the target’s continually changing position over a secure radio link. Once it is 15 kilometres from the target, the Astra missile’s onboard seeker picks up the target enabling the Astra missile to home-in on the enemy target without further help. A radio proximity fuse measures the distance to the target and as the target reaches within 5 metres, the Astra’s radio proximity fuse detonates its warhead.
A senior defence scientist said Astra’ missile will integrate well with the indigenous Light Combat Aircraft ‘Tejas’. In May this year, the flight trial of Astra (BVRAAM), was successfully carried out by scientists of the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) at Balasore, Orissa as part of the developmental tests. Astra missile’s dual mode guidance was fully proved when it was fired from the ground at an imaginary target in these preliminary tests.
DRDO scientists are positive that most of the systems used in Astra missile will be certified airworthy and a live Astra will be fired from a fighter by 2010.
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