Astra missile successfully test-fired from Sukhoi-30 MKI

[Techy]

Astra missile successfully test-fired from Sukhoi-30 MKI
Updated: May 20, 2015 18:29 IST

DRDO scientists plan to conduct another trial on Thursday to prove the long range capability of the missile.

After postponing twice, the indigenously-developed beyond visual range air-to-air missile, Astra was successfully launched from Su-30 MKI fighter jet in two developmental trials conducted at the Integrated Test Range, Chandipur, Odisha on Wednesday.

In the first trial, the supersonic missile was released when the fighter jet was performing a “very high-g manoeuvre”. In the second trial, the manoeuvre was higher than in the first exercise.

A Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) missile technologist told The Hindu that extreme conditions were simulated for the missile’s launch in both the trials when it was released at very low and very high altitudes. DRDO scientists plan to conduct another trial on Thursday to prove the long range capability of the missile.

With Wednesday’s tests, seven developmental trials were conducted and the missile is expected to be inducted by 2016 after few more tests, including pre-induction trials.

Once inducted, India would join select group of nations which possess this kind of stat-of-the-art weapon, said the scientist. He said it is the first state-of-the-art air-to-air missile developed and validated by DRDO. “It is one of the most modern, stand-off beyond visual range air-to-air missiles (BVRAAM)”, he added.

The 3.8-metre tall Astra is a radar homing missile and one of the smallest weapon systems developed by DRDO.

Various laboratories of the DRDO, including the missile complex at Hyderabad, CEMILAC and DGAQA collaborated with Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) and the Indian Air Force in developing Astra.

Astra missile fired successfully from Su-30MKI fighter jet in two trials - The Hindu

@PARIKRAMA @Major Shaitan Singh @Chanakya's_Chant @Abingdonboy @Agent_47 @Hindustani78 and others a good news!!!

 

[jaiind]

so this astra missile contains radar to guide.so it can be jammed...!!

 

[Optimos Prime IA]

so this astra missile contains radar to guide.so it can be jammed...!!

Once the technology is proved the seeker can be modified as per the requirements

 

[Beast]

BVRAAM no need to fire during high G, right?

 

[Optimos Prime IA]

Astra missile successfully test-fired from Sukhoi-30 MKI
Updated: May 20, 2015 18:29 IST

DRDO scientists plan to conduct another trial on Thursday to prove the long range capability of the missile.

After postponing twice, the indigenously-developed beyond visual range air-to-air missile, Astra was successfully launched from Su-30 MKI fighter jet in two developmental trials conducted at the Integrated Test Range, Chandipur, Odisha on Wednesday.

In the first trial, the supersonic missile was released when the fighter jet was performing a “very high-g manoeuvre”. In the second trial, the manoeuvre was higher than in the first exercise.

A Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) missile technologist told The Hindu that extreme conditions were simulated for the missile’s launch in both the trials when it was released at very low and very high altitudes. DRDO scientists plan to conduct another trial on Thursday to prove the long range capability of the missile.

With Wednesday’s tests, seven developmental trials were conducted and the missile is expected to be inducted by 2016 after few more tests, including pre-induction trials.

Once inducted, India would join select group of nations which possess this kind of stat-of-the-art weapon, said the scientist. He said it is the first state-of-the-art air-to-air missile developed and validated by DRDO. “It is one of the most modern, stand-off beyond visual range air-to-air missiles (BVRAAM)”, he added.

The 3.8-metre tall Astra is a radar homing missile and one of the smallest weapon systems developed by DRDO.

Various laboratories of the DRDO, including the missile complex at Hyderabad, CEMILAC and DGAQA collaborated with Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) and the Indian Air Force in developing Astra.

Astra missile fired successfully from Su-30MKI fighter jet in two trials - The Hindu

@PARIKRAMA @Major Shaitan Singh @Chanakya's_Chant @Abingdonboy @Agent_47 @Hindustani78 and others a good news!!!

And morons just yesterday wrote articles on Astra testing will be delayed amid Sukoi crash

 

[duhastmish]

Seekar can be modified and it's first test.


We have little more to have a Astra which we desire. But good and important stuff. This is second most imp missile we look forward to after nirbhya

so this astra missile contains radar to guide.so it can be jammed...!!

 

[Chanakya's_Chant]

Astra BVRAAM compares well to other contemporary BVRAAM's.

Current Astra makes use of a Russian Seeker - an indigenous one is under development -

@jaiind

The LPF is indigenous though!

​

Here is Nirbhay's terminal guidance seeker - a similar one is under development for Astra BVRAAM -

 

[PARIKRAMA]

For some folks why astra is so important, i am quoting a test result done in Mid March 2015
Recall this picture

Kindly notice the exhaust fumes and see the pattern there..

I will quote a similar picture here like this below

Except this exhaust pattern is from a jet engine.. A statically mounted Pratt & Whitney J58 engine on full afterburner while disposing of the last of the SR-71 fuel prior to program termination.

This exhaust pattern is called "Shock Diamond Pattern"
According to wikepedia, i quote

Shock diamonds (also known as Mach diamonds, Mach disks, Mach rings, doughnut tails or thrust diamonds) are a formation of standing wave patterns that appears in thesupersonicexhaust plume of an aerospace propulsion system, such as a supersonic jet engine, rocket, ramjet, or scramjet, when it is operated in an atmosphere. The diamonds are formed from a complex flow field and are visible due to the abrupt density changes caused by standing shock waves.

Shock diamond - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Another picture

The pattern of evenly spaced rings sometimes visible in the exhaust of an engine is typically referred to as shock diamonds or Mach disks. The phenomenon occurs anytime a flow exits a nozzle at supersonic speeds and at a pressure that is different than that of the external atmosphere. Most of us are probably used to seeing shock diamonds occur near sea level during the takeoff of an aircraft, like in the below photo of the SR-71 Blackbird.


Whats its significance with regards to Astra?
A. Maturity of Astra missile tech in terms of fabrication to handle such high pressure exhaust to culminate into shock diamond exhaust
B. Utilisation of sophisticated high energy minimum smoke signature based fuel..Without the bright flame and dense smoke trail produced by the burning of aluminized propellants, these smokeless propellants all but eliminate the risk of giving away the positions from which the missiles are fired.

One more pics of Astra test like these below confirms this assessment

Astra Mk1
The maximum range of Astra is 110 km in head-on chase and 20 km in tail chase. The missile could be launched from different altitudes - it can cover 110 km when launched from an altitude of 15 km, 44 km when fired from an altitude of eight km and 21 km when the altitude is sea level. The missile can reportedly undertake 40 g turns close to sea level, when attacking a maneuvering target.It will have an active homing range of 25 km. The missile has a pre-fragmented warhead and is fitted with a proximity fuze. A radar fuse already exists for the Astra, but the DRDO is currently working on a new laser fuse. Astra has on-board ECCM capability allowing it to jam radar signals from an enemy surface-to-air battery, ensuring that the missile is not tracked or shot down.
The Mark 2 version of Astra will have a maximum range of 150 km and tail chase range of up to 35 km, and will feature shorter fins than the original Mark 1 design.

Congrats to DRDO.. i want Astra Mk1 and MK2 asap developed, tested and inducted as a common platform among all IAF and IN fighters.. Perhaps a Astra based SAM (as rumored to be conceptualised and develped) wud be awesome..

 

[nik22]

BVRAAM no need to fire during high G, right?

You are not a Scientist, right?
You have not developed a missile, right?

 

[K M Cariappa]

S

For some folks why astra is so important, i am quoting a test result done in Mid March 2015
Recall this picture

Kindly notice the exhaust fumes and see the pattern there..

I will quote a similar picture here like this below

Except this exhaust pattern is from a jet engine.. A statically mounted Pratt & Whitney J58 engine on full afterburner while disposing of the last of the SR-71 fuel prior to program termination.

This exhaust pattern is called "Shock Diamond Pattern"
According to wikepedia, i quote

Shock diamonds (also known as Mach diamonds, Mach disks, Mach rings, doughnut tails or thrust diamonds) are a formation of standing wave patterns that appears in thesupersonicexhaust plume of an aerospace propulsion system, such as a supersonic jet engine, rocket, ramjet, or scramjet, when it is operated in an atmosphere. The diamonds are formed from a complex flow field and are visible due to the abrupt density changes caused by standing shock waves.

Shock diamond - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Another picture

The pattern of evenly spaced rings sometimes visible in the exhaust of an engine is typically referred to as shock diamonds or Mach disks. The phenomenon occurs anytime a flow exits a nozzle at supersonic speeds and at a pressure that is different than that of the external atmosphere. Most of us are probably used to seeing shock diamonds occur near sea level during the takeoff of an aircraft, like in the below photo of the SR-71 Blackbird.


Whats its significance with regards to Astra?
A. Maturity of Astra missile tech in terms of fabrication to handle such high pressure exhaust to culminate into shock diamond exhaust
B. Utilisation of sophisticated high energy minimum smoke signature based fuel..Without the bright flame and dense smoke trail produced by the burning of aluminized propellants, these smokeless propellants all but eliminate the risk of giving away the positions from which the missiles are fired.

One more pics of Astra test like these below confirms this assessment

Astra Mk1
The maximum range of Astra is 110 km in head-on chase and 20 km in tail chase. The missile could be launched from different altitudes - it can cover 110 km when launched from an altitude of 15 km, 44 km when fired from an altitude of eight km and 21 km when the altitude is sea level. The missile can reportedly undertake 40 g turns close to sea level, when attacking a maneuvering target.It will have an active homing range of 25 km. The missile has a pre-fragmented warhead and is fitted with a proximity fuze. A radar fuse already exists for the Astra, but the DRDO is currently working on a new laser fuse. Astra has on-board ECCM capability allowing it to jam radar signals from an enemy surface-to-air battery, ensuring that the missile is not tracked or shot down.
The Mark 2 version of Astra will have a maximum range of 150 km and tail chase range of up to 35 km, and will feature shorter fins than the original Mark 1 design.

Congrats to DRDO.. i want Astra Mk1 and MK2 asap developed, tested and inducted as a common platform among all IAF and IN fighters.. Perhaps a Astra based SAM (as rumored to be conceptualised and develped) wud be awesome..

So this "Shock Diamond Pattern " means that the missile will be smoke less...??

 

[#hydra#]

Kudos to DRDO

 

[kṣamā]

Astra has on-board ECCM capability allowing it to jam radar signals from an enemy surface-to-air battery, ensuring that the missile is not tracked or shot down.

Are you sure about that ?? Bcoz almost anything will have enough power to "Burn through" that small missiles signal. Also I am having hard time believing a missile having ECCM. What good will it make ?? It is a counter measure and this is an offensive weapon. It's something like "This bullet has an Armour so thick, it can sustain an explosion" !!

 

[Chanakya's_Chant]

S

So this "Shock Diamond Pattern " means that the missile will be smoke less...??

Not necessarily - such patterns are common to many BVRAAM's - Though Astra uses a smokeless propulsion system contrary to most contemporary BVRAAM's.

Meteor BVRAAM

AAM-4 BVRAAM

AIM-120C AMRAAM

AA-10 "Alamo" BVRAAM​

And here is Astra BVRAAM -

Thanks to DRDO's dual-pulse rocket motor which will enhance the range of Mark II as well!

​

DRDO's dual-pulse rocket motor is also being used in the Indo-Israeli BARAK-8 or LR-SAM -

​

 

[jaiind]

Not necessarily - such patterns are common to many BVRAAM's - Though Astra uses a smokeless propulsion system contrary to most contemporary BVRAAM's.

Meteor BVRAAM

AAM-4 BVRAAM

AIM-120C AMRAAM

AA-10 "Alamo" BVRAAM​

And here is Astra BVRAAM -

Thanks to DRDO's dual-pulse rocket motor enhancing its range as well!

​

DRDO's dual-pulse rocket motor is also being used in the Indo-Israeli BARAK-8 or LR-SAM -

​

i heard that future versions of astra missile versions has to be developed with the highly sophisticated DSI tech !!

 

[Hindustani78]

And morons just yesterday wrote articles on Astra testing will be delayed amid Sukoi crash

Surprises are part of military doctrine.

There was one THE HINDU article.