Navy to network-target test Derby BVRAAM

[Screaming Skull]

Navy to network-target test Derby AAM​

Tuesday, July 07, 2009

As part of the Limited Upgrade Sea Harrier (LUSH), the Indian Navy will shortly conduct its second live firing test of the Israeli Derby beyond visual range air-to-air missile (BVRAAM), a weapon system that has been integrated to the last of the Navy's Sea Harriers as part of the upgrade programme. While the first live firing of the Derby active-radar seeker missile was conducted using the aircraft's primary sensor, the next test will be from one of the Navy's upgraded Sea Harriers with its radar switched off. Guidance will be provided from another platform, either on the ground or in the air.

According to Navy sources, the LUSH programme has made the Sea Harriers fully new aircraft. The heart of the upgrade is of course the replacement of the venerable old Ferranti Blue Fox monopulse airborne intercept radar with the time-tested EL/M-2032 multimode advanced pulse doppler radar. The new radar, in the words of one of the pilots, has put the aircraft in "a different league". While sea clutter proved to be the bane of look-down missions with the Blue Fox radar (the sweep would be swamped), the Elta sensor has none of those issues.

Of the nine Sea Harriers involved in the LUSH programme, seven have been upgraded and delivered back to the Navy, while two are currently being upgraded by HAL. The INS Viraat, currently undergoing a mini-refit in Kochi, will be back in service by September-October, and will have the LUSH Harriers on board.

 

[anathema]

Navy to network-target test Derby AAM​

While the first live firing of the Derby active-radar seeker missile was conducted using the aircraft's primary sensor, the next test will be from one of the Navy's upgraded Sea Harriers with its radar switched off. Guidance will be provided from another platform, either on the ground or in the air.

Hows that possible ? I think report is incorrect !!! Plane Radar needs to be switched on to guide BVR missiles

 

[Screaming Skull]

Hows that possible ? I think report is incorrect !!! Plane Radar needs to be switched on to guide BVR missiles

That part of the report is absolutely correct! Derby missile is an active radar Active radar (AR)-guided dual range (medium & short) missile. It carries its own radar system to detect and track its target. However, the size of the radar antenna is limited by the small diameter of the missile, limiting its range which typically means that it has to use two methods to get close to the target before turning the radar set on, often relying on guidance systems. Now, this guidance system can be either the radar of the aircraft itself or other ground or air based guidance systems. Also, note that this missile can be operated in dual range (medium and short.). This is a unique feature of the missile as the advantages of switching off own radar while in BVR mode are numerous!