Astra (missile)

Astra (Sanskrit: "weapon"[11]) is an all weather beyond-visual-range air-to-air missile developed by the Defence Research and Development Organisation. It is the first air-to-air missile developed by India. It features mid-course inertial guidance with terminal active radar homing.[12] Astra is designed to be capable of engaging targets at varying range and altitudes allowing for engagement of both short-range targets at a distance of 10 km (6.2 mi) and long-range targets up to a distance of 110 km (68 mi).[13][14] Astra has been integrated with Indian Air Force's Sukhoi Su-30MKI and will be integrated with Dassault Mirage 2000, HAL Tejas and Mikoyan MiG-29 in the future. Limited series production of Astra missiles began in 2017.[5][15][16]

Astra
Astra missile on static display
TypeBeyond-visual-range missile
Place of originIndia
Service history
In service2019 (2019)–present
Used by
Production history
ManufacturerBharat Dynamics, Defence Research and Development Organisation, Electronics Corporation of India
Unit cost₹7−8 crore (US$−1.1 million)
Produced2017–present
VariantsAstra Mk 1, Astra Mk 2, Astra IR, Astra Mk 3
Specifications
Mass154 kg (340 lb)
Length3.57 m (11.7 ft)
Diameter178 mm (7.0 in)
WarheadHigh-explosive pre-fragmented HMX/PU[1]
Warhead weight15 kg (33 lb)
Detonation
mechanism
Radio proximity fuze
PropellantSolid fuel
Operational
range
  • Astra Mark 1: 110 km (68 mi)
  • Astra IR: 80 km (50 mi) (under-development)
  • Astra Mark 2: 160 km (99 mi)[2] (under-development)
  • Astra Mark 3: 350 km (220 mi)[3] (under-development)
Flight ceiling20 km (66,000 ft)
Maximum speed Mach 4.5[4]
Guidance
system
Mid-course: Fibre-optic gyro inertial navigation system with mid-course update via datalink. Terminal: Active radar homing
Launch
platform
References[5][6][7][8][9][10]

Description


Astra's older design resembled Matra Super 530D and Vympel R-77 in a few aspects.[13] Astra is 3.6 m (12 ft) long with a diameter of 178 mm (7.0 in) and weighs 154 kg (340 lb). It uses an inertial guidance system driven by a fibre optic gyroscope with terminal guidance through active radar homing. It is capable of receiving course corrections through a secure data link. The missile's active radar seeker with a homing range of 25 km (16 mi) is supplied by Agat and will be manufactured locally.[7] The seeker can lock-on to a target with a radar cross section of 5 square metres from a distance of 15 km and enables off-boresight launches up to an angle of 45°.[17] Some tests have been conducted in 2017 and 2018 using an indigenous seeker developed by Research Centre Imarat.[18][19][20]

Astra is equipped with electronic counter-countermeasures to allow operation even during enemy attempts to jam the seeker using electronic countermeasures. It carries a 15 kg (33 lb) high explosive pre-fragmented warhead activated by a proximity fuse.[7] Astra uses a smokeless solid fuelled motor that can propel the missile to a speed of Mach 4.5 and allows operation from a maximum altitude of 20 km (66,000 ft).[8][7] The maximum range of Astra is 110 km (68 mi) in head-on chase mode and 20 km (12 mi) in tail chase mode.[14] The maximum range is achieved when the missile launched from an altitude of 3 km (9,800 ft). When it is fired from an altitude of 2 km (6,600 ft), the range drops to 44 km (27 mi) and when it is launched from sea level, the range drops further to 21 km (13 mi).[21] Astra's low aspect ratio wings allow it to engage manoeuvring targets up to a range of 90 km (56 mi) in head-on chase mode and 60 km (37 mi) in tail chase mode.[7] It can be launched in both autonomous and buddy mode operation and can lock on to its target before or after it is launched.[22]

Development

Preliminary work on Astra had begun by 1990 with the completion of a pre-feasibility study.[23] Astra was revealed to the public for the first time at Aero India 1998.[24] It was described as an elongated Matra Super 530D with a smaller diametre in front of the wings.[25] The project to develop Astra missile was officially sanctioned in 2004 with a budget of ₹955 crore (equivalent to ₹27 billion or US$380 million in 2019).[26] The project was to be led by Defence Research and Development Laboratory with assistance from Hindustan Aeronautics Limited and Electronics Corporation of India Limited.[27] The initial version of Astra reportedly weighed 300 kg (660 lb) with a range of 25–40 km (16–25 mi) and was planned to be integrated with HAL Tejas. It was tested for the first time in May 2003.[28]

The missile was redesigned around 2006 due to control issues and performance deficiencies at high altitude. The initial design of four cruciform short-span long-chord wings were replaced by cropped delta wings placed near the nose. The redesigned missile had an improved propulsion system and was tested for the first time in 2008.[29] By 2013, the missile had been redesigned again in response to multiple failures caused by adverse interactions between flight control surfaces.[30] The control, guidance, and propulsion systems were also reconfigured.[31] After the second redesign, the missile was lighter than the initial version by around 130 kg (290 lb). It was tested from the ground thrice in December 2012 and captive trials from a Sukhoi Su-30MKI were held in April 2013.[32][30] Astra completed final development trials in September 2017 and was cleared for production at Bharat Dynamics Limited's manufacturing facility in Bhanur, Telangana for an initial order of 50 missiles.[14][5]

Future development

After the development of Astra Mark 1, three new variants are planned for future. Astra IR close combat missile with imaging infrared homing for shorter range up to 80 km (50 mi). Astra Mark 2 with larger engagement envelope and a range of 160 km (99 mi)[33] equivalent to AIM-120D while propulsion systems under consideration includes liquid-fuel ramjet, solid-fuel ramjet and dual pulse solid rocket motor. Astra Mark 3 will use newly developed solid fuel ducted ramjet technology with a maximum range of 350 km (220 mi) equivalent to Meteor missile.[13][29][34][9]

Trials

Astra went through a series of ground tests from 2003 till 2012 in three different configurations to validate the airframe, propulsion system, control system, dual mode guidance and night firing capability. Carriage trials were carried out in 2009 and 2013 on Sukhoi Su-30MKI.[35][36] In May 2014, it was fired for the first time in air.[37] On 18 March 2016, the missile was fired in public during Iron Fist 2016 exercise from a Sukhoi Su-30MKI.[38] During a series of seven tests in September 2017, Astra was tested twice with an indigenous seeker.[19] During user trials in 2019, Astra hit a target at a distance of 90 km (56 mi).[39]

The flight trials on the indegenously built HAL Tejas are expected to begin in the first half ot 2021.[40]

Operators
  • Astra tested from ground-based launcher during initial developmental trial.
  • Astra fired by Indian Air Force Su-30MKI from Air Force Station Kalaikunda on September 26, 2018.
  • Five consecutive successful trials of Astra from 16 to 19 September 2019.
  • Astra successfully test fired off the Odisha coast on September 17, 2019.

See also

References
  1. Aroor, Shiv. "How India's ASTRA Air-To-Air Missile Is Quietly Killing It". Livefist Defence. Retrieved 30 August 2020.
  2. Pandit, Rajat (23 October 2020). "Astra air combat missile to be soon tested from Tejas fighter". Times of India. TNN. Retrieved 23 October 2020.
  3. Pandit, Rajat (23 October 2020). "Astra air combat missile to be soon tested from Tejas fighter". Times of India. TNN. Retrieved 23 October 2020.
  4. Bhardwaj, Tarun (17 September 2019). "Deadly weapon! IAF successfully test-fires air-to-air missile Astra from Sukhoi-30 combat aircrafts [sic]". Financial Express. Retrieved 30 August 2020.
  5. Bedi, Rahul (6 September 2017). "BDL begins initial build of Astra Mk1 BVRAAM". IHS Jane's Missiles & Rockets. Jane's Information Group. Archived from the original on 6 September 2017.
  6. M. Somasekhar (27 August 2017). "Jaitley hands over long-range surface-to-air missile to Navy". The Hindu Business Line. The Hindu Group.
  7. Majumdar, Sayan (September–October 2015). "Astra – The Spear for Air Dominance" (PDF). Vayu Aerospace and Defence Review. No. 5. Society for Aerospace Studies. pp. 56–57.
  8. Y. Mallikarjun (22 May 2015). "Astra missile successfully tested again". The Hindu. The Hindu Group. ISSN 0971-751X.
  9. Pandit, Rajat (29 September 2019). "15 years on, DRDO's supersonic missile ready for IAF fighters". The Times of India.
  10. "DAC approves capital acquisition of various platforms & equipment worth Rs 38,900 crore". PIB India. Retrieved 2 July 2020.
  11. "India tests air-to-air Astra missile again". Deutsche Presse-Agentur. 26 March 2007 – via NewsBank.
  12. Pandit, Rajat (5 May 2014). "First successful Astra test gives boost to air missile technology". The Times of India. The Times Group.
  13. Udoshi, Rahul (6 May 2014). "India successfully tests home-grown Astra AAM". IHS Jane's Defence Weekly. Jane's Information Group. Archived from the original on 17 May 2014.
  14. M. Somasekhar (18 September 2017). "After successful development trials, Astra missile ready for production". The Hindu Business Line. The Hindu Group.
  15. Rout, Hemant Kumar (31 August 2017). "Indian Air Force likely to start trials of Astra missile from today". The New Indian Express. Express Publications (Madurai).
  16. "Astra Missile Test successful: More power to the IAF's fighter planes". The Financial Express. 26 September 2018. Retrieved 20 September 2019.
  17. Richardson, Doug (1 April 2017). "India's Astra uses an AGAT seeker". IHS Jane's Missiles and Rockets. Coulsdon: Jane's Information Group. 17 (4).
  18. Reddy, U. Sudhakar (16 September 2017). "Final trials of air-to-air missile Astra successful". Deccan Chronicle.
  19. "Forty first report of the Standing Committee on Defence (2017–2018)" (PDF). New Delhi: Lok Sabha Secretariat. March 2018. p. 59.
  20. "Indigenously developed air-to-air missile Astra successfully test fired". Hindustan Times. HT Media. Press Trust of India. 26 September 2018.
  21. Y. Mallikarjun; T. S. Subramanian (22 December 2012). "Astra missile test-fired successfully". The Hindu. The Hindu Group.
  22. Jha, Saurav (26 October 2013). "DRDO's international coming out party in Seoul features new Pragati tactical missile system". IBNLive. Archived from the original on 29 October 2013.
  23. Beech, Eric (2–8 May 1990). "India researches air-to-air missile" (PDF). Flight International. Vol. 137 no. 4214. Reed Business Information. p. 15. ISSN 0015-3710.
  24. Gethin, Howard (16–22 December 1998). "India unveils Astra but keeps wraps on LCA" (PDF). Flight International. Reed Business Information.
  25. "Astra test may be delayed". The Times of India. The Times Group. 6 April 2002.
  26. Pandit, Rajat (6 November 2015). "10 years in making, Astra advanced air combat missile may be ready in 2016". The Times of India. The Times Group.
  27. M. Somasekhar (17 June 2004). "DRDL to develop Astra missile". The Hindu Business Line. The Hindu Group.
  28. T. S. Subramanian (24 May – 6 June 2003). "An Astra in the armoury". Frontline. Vol. 20 no. 11. The Hindu Group. ISSN 0970-1710.
  29. Hewson, Robert (April 2011). "Astra redesign paves way for ramjet AAM". Jane's Missiles and Rockets. Coulsdon: Jane's Information Group. 15 (4): 3.
  30. Pandit, Rajat (1 July 2013). "Long-delayed Astra missile will finally be test-fired". The Times of India. The Times Group.
  31. Richardson, Doug (1 February 2017). "Redesigned Astra completes three ground launches". IHS Jane's Missiles and Rockets. Coulsdon: Jane's Information Group. 17 (2).
  32. "Third Astra launch too a success". The Hindu. The Hindu Group. 25 December 2012.
  33. Pandit, Rajat (23 October 2020). "Astra air combat missile to be soon tested from Tejas fighter". Times of India. TNN. Retrieved 23 October 2020.
  34. "Interview | Youngsters can power India into a defence technology leader: Dr Satheesh Reddy". OnManorama. Retrieved 17 February 2020.
  35. Tur, Jatinder Kaur (6 December 2013). "'Astra' carriage trials with Su-30 begins". The Times of India. The Times Group.
  36. Sharma, Ravi (1 November 2009). "Captive flight trials of Astra missile carried out". The Hindu. Chennai, India: The Hindu Group.
  37. Y. Mallikarjun (4 May 2014). "Astra successfully test-fired from Sukhoi-30 MKI". The Hindu. The Hindu Group. ISSN 0971-751X.
  38. Chopra, Anil (19 March 2016). "Iron Fist 2016: Indian Air Force's greatest show of air power". Daily News and Analysis.
  39. "IAF, DRDO carry out test firing of Astra air-to-air missile". Business Standard. 18 September 2019.
  40. P, Rajat (23 November 2020). "Astra air combat missile to be soon tested from Tejas fighter". The Times of India. Retrieved 20 December 2020.
  41. "Air Force to get 33 new fighter jets, 248 indigenous Astra missiles". BusinessWorld. Retrieved 2 July 2020.
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