The Spear for Air Dominance

Self-reliance in air - launched missiles and particularly in Beyond Visual Range Air-to-Air Missile (BVRAAM) systems, is of strategic importance considering the new paradigm of ‘ air superiority warfare.’ With the anticipated service entry ( around 2016) of the indigenous Mach 4 Active-Radar Homing (ARH) Astra BVRAAM, India’s Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) seems to have produced a missile that is arguably capable of outmatching similar missiles from the United States, Russia and Europe.

As part of induction trials the missile was tested on 21 May 2015 with a Sukhoi Su- 30MKI fighter conducting high- g manoeuvres at high altitude. The prototype missile was first tested on 9 May 2003 from the Integrated Test Range (ITR) at Chandipur on the Odisha coast. On 27 March 2007, vertical launch of the missile was carried out, suggesting development of a Surface-to-Air Missile (SAM) variant. Following further tests dual-mode guidance was fully proved during May 2009, followed by captive flight tests on a Su-30MKI, which were carried out near Pune in November. A series of tests initiated on 20 May 2011, also from the ITR at Chandipur, focused on evaluating the performance of the smokeless non- metallised high specific impulse propulsion system, the configurations of the vehicle, and an aerodynamic evaluation.

The project is guided and led by the Hyderabad-based Defence Research and Development Laboratory (DRDL). The single stage, smokeless, solid fuelled Astra with a length of 3,570 mm, body diameter of 178 mm and weight of 154 kg, uses high energy lithium thermal batteries, making it the lightest in its class, thus having a wide range of applications. The BVRAAM will be capable of destroying manoeuvring 9-g enemy targets at high altitude in the head-on mode at a range of 80 km and in tail-chase mode at 20 km, thanks to its low drag, low aspect ratio wings. Capability to pull lateral acceleration of 40-g in both yaw and pitch planes means it should be able to engage non-manoeuvring targets well in excess of 100-km and be capable of operating from sea level to 20 km.

The all-important seeker is provided by Russian firm Morinformsystem Agat with an autonomous homing range of 25 km and is to be produced in India through a total transfer-of-technology process. Prior ARH homing during terminal stage, Astra follows Fibre Optic Gyro (FOG)-based Inertial Navigation System (INS) during midcourse with high-g accelerometers along with a secure data link to allow midcourse re-tasking. While autopilot and guidance software uses Artificial Intelligence (AI) for accurate guidance and optimised trajectory, the on-board Electronic Counter Counter Measures (ECCM) capability allows it to stay on course in spite of enemy Electronic Counter Measures ( ECM) procedures. At close ranges the missile can be fired in Lock-On Before Launch (LOBL) mode. The 15 kg high explosive warhead is pre-fragmented and radar proximity fuse armed plus directional to enhance lethality and high Single Shot Kill Probability ( SSKP). Additionally, the DRDO is currently working on a new laser fuse. The choice of an Agat seeker is interesting as the establishment is highly reputed for development of infra-red seekers and may point to the possibility of an Imaging InfraRed (IIR) version of the Astra. As ARH is effective in one set of conditions and IIR in another, the open choice of different seeker heads complicates defences of the adversary.