Air-to-air missile Astra successfully test-fired

[Jon Snow]

imported weapons are only good in a short time war..
in a long duration war , you are stuck once your imported stockpit of weapons get consumed..

In today's world scenario, one can only imagine a short time war before international pressure forces a ceasefire. Long duration wars are a thing of the past.
Even the Indian Army nowadays prepares only for short duration wars - as can be seen from the cold start strategy

 

[Jon Snow]

Astra Missile is different missile:


1.) Range

MICA range = from < 500 m to > 60 km

ASTRA range = 80-100 km head on, 20 km tail chase


2.) Warhead

MICA Warhead = 12 kg focused splinters HE warhead

ASTRA Warhead = 15 kg HE fragmentation directional warhead


Astra missile is superior missile

Actually, the mica is far superior. It has tvc and can be used as both short range and bvr missile and has active radar as well as infrared homing. Chances of escaping when both variants are fired is next to zero.
It has a range of 60km, but that is at an altitude of 11km, while the range of astra ( 80km) is actually given at altitude of 15km where hardly any air fights take place, the useful range of astra is 45km (at reasonable altitude)

 

[tvsram1992]

imported weapons are only good in a short time war..
in a long duration war , you are stuck once your imported stockpit of weapons get consumed..

Thats why we preferred tot in MMRCA and most of other deals so that it cannot be a problem during war. We have many tot's and jv's so that both buyer and seller gains.

 

[Jon Snow]

JF-17 and F-16 both have more then 100 KM radar range.......no chance ur Last Chance Aircraft (LCA) can ever come close to 50KM.

What does radar range have anything to do with how close the aircraft can get?? Yes you will see the aircraft coming, you will track it, but how will you stop it?? to stop it you yourself will have to get within 50km of the enemy aircraft to fire your own bvr missile

 

[Black Widow]

What does radar range have anything to do with how close the aircraft can get?? Yes you will see the aircraft coming, you will track it, but how will you stop it?? to stop it you yourself will have to get within 50km of the enemy aircraft to fire your own bvr missile

Even if you fire your missile , you are not sure that you can bring it down.. ...

For example : In yet another incident, two MiG-25s approached a pair of F-15s, fired missiles (which were evaded by the F-15s), and then outran the American fighters. Two more F-15s joined the pursuit, and a total of 10 air-to-air missiles were fired at the MiG-25s, although none reached them

Since then missile have improved so does the counter measure..

 

[illuminatidinesh]

JF-17 and F-16 both have more then 100 KM radar range.......no chance ur Last Chance Aircraft (LCA) can ever come close to 50KM.

Ok U detect then what? Are U going to throw stones on the LCA?

 

[Just Yash]

Ok U detect then what? Are U going to throw stones on the LCA?

 

[sancho]

No astra will be ready asap. We are waiting for the final trials.Astra’s first flight trial took place on May 9, 2003 from the ITR at Chandipur.
So 11 years seem some thing wrong , by this time astra must be developed fully and they are evaluating results.

The fact that IAF will integrate Derby to LCA MK1 makes clear, that Astra will not be ready, or mature enough in time, which means not be ready till at least 2012. I would agree to Jha and expect it only for MK2, depending also on the production rate, because I think they will first try to replace all the older Russian BVR missiles.

Btw, is there any pic available from the test? Would like to see the design of the missile, still like this:

Or like this as shown during the last Aero India:

 

[koushik]

Actually, the mica is far superior. It has tvc and can be used as both short range and bvr missile and has active radar as well as infrared homing. Chances of escaping when both variants are fired is next to zero.
It has a range of 60km, but that is at an altitude of 11km, while the range of astra ( 80km) is actually given at altitude of 15km where hardly any air fights take place, the useful range of astra is 45km (at reasonable altitude)

You are a bit wrong here one single MICA AAM doesnt carry two seekers onboard at the same time,the MICA is available in two variants- the MICA IR (infrared guided) and MICA RF (active radar guided) and they are separate missiles so its impossible that when a MICA is fired the enemy has to face two seekers at the same time.

 

[angeldemon_007]

When is the work on astra mk2 will begin ?/

 

[sancho]

You are a bit wrong here one single MICA AAM doesnt carry two seekers onboard at the same time,the MICA is available in two variants- the MICA IR (infrared guided) and MICA RF (active radar guided) and they are separate missiles so its impossible that when a MICA is fired the enemy has to face two seekers at the same time.

He didn't said it has two seekers, he said when both version are fired and he is right about that. The fact that you can use both versions in WVR as well as BVR combats, makes it more versatile than other combos, because they are aimed on a single scenario only.
For example, if the Mirage would carry Python V and Derby, it could use only the the earlier with IR seeker and TVC in WVR combats (in a normal A2A loadout 2 x missiles), just like you could use only the Derby's in BVR combats (2 - 4 x missiles). A MICA loadout instead can be use in all ranges, which means the Mirage has 6 x missiles for WVR and BVR, that's why you see French Mirage 2000-5s in Libya carrying 3 x MICA IR and 3 x MICA EM:

MICA IR on the outer wingstations and under the right air intake, MICA EM on the rear fuselage stations and under the left air intake.

 

[Jon Snow]

You are a bit wrong here one single MICA AAM doesnt carry two seekers onboard at the same time,the MICA is available in two variants- the MICA IR (infrared guided) and MICA RF (active radar guided) and they are separate missiles so its impossible that when a MICA is fired the enemy has to face two seekers at the same time.

that's what i was trying to say, sorry if it wasnt clear.

The french pilots have developed a tactic in which they fire both variants simultaneously, and as i said earlier in this situation chances are extremely high that one of the missiles will score a hit.....

 

[luckyyy]

In today's world scenario, one can only imagine a short time war before international pressure forces a ceasefire. Long duration wars are a thing of the past.
Even the Indian Army nowadays prepares only for short duration wars - as can be seen from the cold start strategy

During kargil war all the bofors gun shell in the stockpit were cumsumed ( had to place a urgent order at highly inflated price)..... if that war takes a bigger specturm , india would get stuck !

same is true for any other imported weapons , they are good only for a short duration war..

 

[Firemaster]

JF-17 and F-16 both have more then 100 KM radar range.......no chance ur Last Chance Aircraft (LCA) can ever come close to 50KM.

It is not 50 km range
current range of astra missile is 80 Km and and Mk-2 version will be atleast 150 Km and it will be fitted with iir seeker also (which is being developed for AAd)
80 km will be enough for your junk fighter(jf-17) aircraft.

 

[Firemaster]

Ok U detect then what? Are U going to throw stones on the LCA?

no buddy they will have grenades in their hands