NEWS

Indian defence scientists may be preparing to test the Astra—an indigenously developed beyond-visual-range air-to-air missile. Reports suggest the test flight could be conducted from an Indian Air Force Sukhoi-30MKI fighter aircraft anytime in the next 45 days. According to scientists at the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), the Astra is a futuristic missile, which was first tested in March 2003, without control and guidance systems, and once again in March 2007, at low altitudes and short ranges. Equipped with a radar fuse and a pre-fragmented warhead, a beyond-visual-range missile enables fighter pilots to lock-on and shoot down enemy aircraft from 80 to 120 km away. Earlier, scientists suggested that the BVR missile would have a range of 80 km in head-on chase and 15 km in tail chase.

VIEWS

Astra, under development by Hyderabad-based Defence Research and Development Laboratory, is intended to be a state-of-the-art beyond-visual-range air-to-air missile with a top speed of Mach 4. The Astra will enable fighter pilots to destroy enemy aircraft manoeuvring at supersonic speeds at ranges of around 90 to 100 km. The weapon system, flaunting an operating envelope extending from sea level to 20,000 m, is being developed to be integrated with the Mirage 2000, MiG-29 and Su-30MKI fleets of the Indian Air Force (IAF) that currently sport prohibitively expensive missile systems acquired from abroad. The Astra will also be mounted on the Tejas, should it ever become operational.

The Astra programme appeared in the public domain for the first time at Aero India 1998 where a mock-up of the missile was on display. The feasibility study was undertaken in 2001 and the time frame for the development of the Astra was estimated to be around eight years with delivery scheduled to begin in 2009. The project, however, was launched only in 2004 with an initial budget of Rs 1,000 crore ($250 million approx).Cost and time overruns, rather predictable in projects with the DRDO, have revised the estimated time frame in the wake of technological hurdles, indicating that the IAF may receive the missile not before 2012. Revised cost estimates are yet to be made known.