DRDO Readies Astra Mk3 Missile with Standard AESA Variant and Extended-Range Booster Variant for Diverse Operational Needs

India's Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) is making significant progress in developing its next-generation Beyond Visual Range Air-to-Air Missile (BVRAAM), known as the Astra Mk3.

Building upon the success of its predecessors, the Astra Mk1 and Mk2, this new variant aims to significantly enhance India's air combat capabilities by incorporating cutting-edge technology and achieving extended engagement ranges.

The Astra Mk3 introduces a ramjet engine, a propulsion system that provides sustained thrust over longer distances, enabling the missile to maintain high speeds and manoeuvrability throughout its flight. DRDO has successfully completed ground trials of the missile system and is now gearing up for air trials using the Su-30MKI as the launch platform.

Sources indicate that the Astra Mk3 will be developed in two variants to meet diverse operational needs:

• Standard Ramjet Variant: This variant will be equipped with an Active Electronically Scanned Array (AESA) seeker, allowing for precise target tracking and coordination with AWACS and launch platforms via a two-way data link. It offers a range of over 300 km, making it highly effective against high-value aerial targets.
• Booster-Enhanced Ramjet Variant: This variant will include an additional booster stage to achieve even greater ranges, specifically targeting larger threats like airborne early warning and control systems (AWACS) at extended distances.

While the enhanced range and speed offered by the Astra Mk3 provide significant advantages, they also come with trade-offs. The increased weight of the missile, particularly the booster-enhanced variant, limits its compatibility to aircraft with robust hardpoints, such as the Su-30MKI or potential future platforms.

Furthermore, to fully leverage the Astra Mk3's capabilities, launch aircraft will require advanced radar systems with exceptional range for target detection, tracking, and engagement.

The decision on which fighter jets will carry these missiles must consider not only weight and structural integrity but also the operational tactics that will be employed. This could potentially influence the IAF's future acquisition and upgrade strategies, emphasizing the need for advanced avionics in its fleet.

The development of the Astra Mk3 represents a significant advancement in India's pursuit of indigenous defence technologies. With its extended range, advanced seeker technology, and two-way data link, the Astra Mk3 is poised to be a game-changer in air-to-air combat, providing the Indian Air Force with a crucial edge in safeguarding India's airspace.

 

[sanket]

That's good. One variant for fighter jets and another for slow-moving aircraft like air refueling tankers, transport planes, and AWACS. Astra MK3 variants will be a game changer. This is where an Su-57-like platform will be handy to carry such a type of Astra MK3 BVR missile. With a bigger nose cone, it will have a 1800 TRM to 2400 TRM GaN-based AESA radar which can detect over 400+ km and can carry and fire heavy missiles like Astra MK3.

 

[Superpower Bharat]

That's good. One variant for fighter jets and another for slow-moving aircraft like air refueling tankers, transport planes, and AWACS. Astra MK3 variants will be a game changer. This is where an Su-57-like platform will be handy to carry such a type of Astra MK3 BVR missile. With a bigger nose cone, it will have a 1800 TRM to 2400 TRM GaN-based AESA radar which can detect over 400+ km and can carry and fire heavy missiles like Astra MK3.

Are you kidding... 1800-2400 km...? 🤣🤣🤣 What do you think, the Astra MK3 nose will be as big as a Su-30? Apply some common sense, dude.

 

[sanket]

Are you kidding... 1800-2400 km...? 🤣🤣🤣 What do you think, the Astra MK3 nose will be as big as a Su-30? Apply some common sense, dude.

I am talking about the Su-57 nose cone, hahaha. Have you read the article carefully? To carry an Astra MK3-like BVR missile, a heavy fighter jet like the Super Sukhoi or Su-57 requires the Astra MK3 to have a weight exceeding 250 kg, unlike Meteor, which has a weight under 200 kg. Second, to fire a missile like Astra MK3, a fighter jet with a detection range over 400 km can perform the mission easily. Astra MK3 will have a range of over 300 km to 350 km. Rafale and Tejas don't have that much detection range. That's why I have commented several times that Super Sukhoi needs an AL-41 derivative engine and GaN-based AESA radar with 1800 to 2400 TRM. In the future, hypersonic air-launched missiles will be inducted. To carry such heavy missiles, heavy fighter jets like Super Sukhoi & Su-57 and a detection range of over 400 km plus are needed.

 

[Arvind Rokade]

Will it be effective to detect stealth aircraft?

 

[Kiran Kumar]

These missiles can be loaded only on Sukhoi fighters as we don't have Tejas and these can't be inducted in near future. Even, B'desh can purchase Chinse stealth fighters but, we are still work on Aatma nirbar Bharat for next 100-200 years and even after that we can't produce fighter jets.

 

[Leo red]

Astra is good one but we need ground based anti radiation missile as well as fiber optic drones to neutralize radars and electronic jamming

 

[beencensured]

I am talking about the Su-57 nose cone, hahaha. Have you read the article carefully? To carry an Astra MK3-like BVR missile, a heavy fighter jet like the Super Sukhoi or Su-57 requires the Astra MK3 to have a weight exceeding 250 kg, unlike Meteor, which has a weight under 200 kg. Second, to fire a missile like Astra MK3, a fighter jet with a detection range over 400 km can perform the mission easily. Astra MK3 will have a range of over 300 km to 350 km. Rafale and Tejas don't have that much detection range. That's why I have commented several times that Super Sukhoi needs an AL-41 derivative engine and GaN-based AESA radar with 1800 to 2400 TRM. In the future, hypersonic air-launched missiles will be inducted. To carry such heavy missiles, heavy fighter jets like Super Sukhoi & Su-57 and a detection range of over 400 km plus are needed.

You know that there is always network-centric warfare that uses ground-based radar, AWACS, and other fighters' radar to detect threats. So in theory, the MiG-21 could carry these.

 

[Sandeep]

Astra is good one but we need ground based anti radiation missile as well as fiber optic drones to neutralize radars and electronic jamming

They are developing the Rudram MK1-3 series of missile which will have two variants. One will be an anti radiation missile to hit radars and SAM system. The second version will just be a standard air to surface missile.

 

[Sandeep]

This is very good news as now we need to quickly develop and certify this advanced technology. This will also stop us from making foreign expensive imports in buying foreign missiles which reduces the amount of money that we can spend on our own research projects. We also need to reduce the development times as well because these crucial projects and the missiles are a necessity for national security.

We also need to make progress in quickly developing the Astra IR which are more complicated to design and develop as it will need to be very fast, manoeuvrable and flexible to use it as a WVRAAM/BVRAAM.

 

[obiwankenubi jedi]

Good, so now we will have more options to arm our jets, and now we need the jets for these missiles.

So it's a good situation to be in, given the current circumstances.

Do we already have the Astra 2 missiles yet, though? Looks like we need a contract first for them.

 

[Dipesh Debnath]

Making super extra long-range BVRAAM is not very difficult. The rocket needs to be launched at a lofted trajectory, meaning it will fly at an upward arc for a long distance before coming down near the target. That way, it will also stay in visual range for a longer time. Just add a super big booster and program its new flight path.

 

[Akshat]

You know that there is always network-centric warfare that uses ground-based radar, AWACS, and other fighters' radar to detect threats. So in theory, the MiG-21 could carry these.

That will work only in areas where you can operate the AEWACS or such systems. So you can't operate them significantly behind the enemy lines, which is where you really want to use those. And it also creates latency. So yeah, it can be done, but that will severely limit the scenarios where you can use the missile and make it very easy for the enemy to create countermeasures. Say, they may fire a couple of long distance missiles at your AEWACS and that will turn the entire squadron blind. So not ideal.

 

[Akshat]

They are developing the Rudram MK1-3 series of missile which will have two variants. One will be an anti radiation missile to hit radars and SAM system. The second version will just be a standard air to surface missile.

"Are developing" being the key phrase. And that's always the case with DRDO.

 

[Akshat]

Making super extra long-range BVRAAM is not very difficult. The rocket needs to be launched at a lofted trajectory, meaning it will fly at an upward arc for a long distance before coming down near the target. That way, it will also stay in visual range for a longer time. Just add a super big booster and program its new flight path.

And that's the recipe for disaster, my friend.

One, the bigger the rocket, the more the weight. So you will be able to carry less missiles, not all the planes will be able to carry them and any plane carrying them will not be very agile.

Secondly, assuming you ignore all these problems and do make it, it will have very little energy when it gets closer to it's target. It's speed will be lower and it won't be maneuverable. So it is almost sure to miss fighter jets and will be easier to dodge even by the bigger targets.

 

[Sandeep]

"Are developing" being the key phrase. And that's always the case with DRDO.

They are running tests and it will be cleared for production but the later series will take some time unfortunately.

 

[Akshat]

Do we already have the Astra 2 missiles yet, though? Looks like we need a contract first for them.

Oh we don't. At least officially, we haven't even given them for user trials. There is no record that IAF has even received them for any trials as of now. I am not sure if DRDO has even said that the developmental trials are over. So no, we are far far away from any induction for Astra Mk2 and we are at least a decade away from inducting Astra Mk3, if not more.

 

[Akshat]

They are running tests and it will be cleared for production but the later series will take some time unfortunately.

They have been running tests on everything for many decades now. Look at Kaveri, under tests since 2000 or something, but nothing is cleared for production till date. So sure, eventually 5-6 decades later we might actually see something going in production.