Astra Series Air to Air Missiles

[Photon Vish]

Both Astra Mk3 and Sky Sting will exceed the PL-16.

PL-16 is supposed to be using variable thrust rocket motor.

Its basic SFDR without ramjet intake, obv oxidiser still need to be carried but they dont have to have bulky air intake which increase drag and mass.

Thats why Pl-16 max range is >300km with 300km as effective against tankers, awacs.

And 340km of Astra mk3 is from 20km altitude, most fighter wo go to that point, definitely not in an active a2a where going cold requires to go down.

We don't know the range of 300+km of PL-16 at what altitude.

 

[Photon Vish]

Do anyone here know that are we working on dual seeker for astra mk2/3 ?

With stealth aircraft and also stealthy UCAV, a RF+IIR seeker will be great.

And IMO, we should restart Astra-IR program, UCAV are specially designed for air to ground, hence an Astra-IR based SAM can be useful against them.

And obviously we can use them on fighter jet too.

There is large use case, i guess it worth the extra RnD cost.

 

[MlechhKaal]

Do anyone here know that are we working on dual seeker for astra mk2/3 ?

With stealth aircraft and also stealthy UCAV, a RF+IIR seeker will be great.

And IMO, we should restart Astra-IR program, UCAV are specially designed for air to ground, hence an Astra-IR based SAM can be useful against them.

And obviously we can use them on fighter jet too.

There is large use case, i guess it worth the extra RnD cost.

What I know is that the Astra-IR and Astra-RF are being developed as 2 different projects.

 

[Photon Vish]

What I know is that the Astra-IR and Astra-RF are being developed as 2 different projects.

Astra-IR is cancelled i guess.

We have adopted ASRAAM missile.

 

[MlechhKaal]

But it doesn't make sense to be cancelled since NGCCM program is still active.

 

[Rajput Lion]

Off topic but why astra missile fixed fins are so huge ??

Isn't bigger fins means more drag and also looses alot of energy during any change in direction (direction or altitude)

Fixed mid-body strakes are to generate lift and enhance "off-the-rail" plus endgame kinematics. Even with such large strakes, Astra's aerodynamics are superlative as you have seen with its speed and range parameters.

 

[Photon Vish]

But it doesn't make sense to be cancelled since NGCCM program is still active.

NGCCM is rebranding of ASRAAM for domestic production from what i know.

 

[Choice_of _inevitability]

NGCCM for IAF & NGCCM for DRDO - both are different.
1st is an acquisition program, 2nd is a technology demonstration/capacity building program.

This is how LRLACM program (of IAF/IA) would've gone if there was an import alternative.

 

[Kitsune]

NGCCM for DRDO - both are different.

Got any proof for this assertion, or is this a trust me Bro type statement

 

[Photon Vish]

Are we developing any double seeker(IIR+RF) for BVR missile ??

It may be costly but more effective than others.

Or may be even Astra mk2 but with IIR seeker.

 

[Hydra]

Why we are selling Astra to Indonesia, a country who tried to invade india in past.

India and Indonesia Sign Major Defence Cooperation Deals Amidst PM Modi's Visit | - The Times of India

News News: During Prime Minister Modi's visit to Indonesia, significant agreements were made in defence, critical minerals, maritime infrastructure, and electoral technology, enhancing the India-Indonesia strategic alliance.

timesofindia.indiatimes.com

 

[GASOLINE_ON_FIRE]

Why we are selling Astra to Indonesia, a country who tried to invade india in past.

India and Indonesia Sign Major Defence Cooperation Deals Amidst PM Modi's Visit | - The Times of India

News News: During Prime Minister Modi's visit to Indonesia, significant agreements were made in defence, critical minerals, maritime infrastructure, and electoral technology, enhancing the India-Indonesia strategic alliance.

timesofindia.indiatimes.com

Are you talking about 1965??
Dude, move on. Its 2026. You are talking about an incident that was like 60 years ago. Also, curb the victimhood narrative. They didnt "try" to invade India. It was just a proposal. Also, India was supporting creation of Malaysia(Konfrontasi 1963). We were directly working against Indonesia at the time. A response would be natural.

Hell, we are working with US today, a country that worked against our interests up untill 1990s. Indonesia is nothing compared to that.

 

[Hydra]

Are you talking about 1965??
Dude, move on. Its 2026.

Oh really? I fear in 2029 you will say "Are you talking about 1962??
Dude, move on. Its 2029"

 

[lmaoxd]

Oh really? I fear in 2029 you will say "Are you talking about 1962??
Dude, move on. Its 2029"

mate? we have had relatively friendly relations with indonesia since like the 1970s. we even got the very important maritime boundary deal signed with them. Theyre not China.

 

[Hydra]

mate? we have had relatively friendly relations with indonesia since like the 1970s. we even got the very important maritime boundary deal signed with them. Theyre not China.

We had friendly relation with iran for nearly 40+ years, yet khamaini sided eith Pakistan in 90s. We had given solif 50 years of support to Palestine, yet they supported Pakistan. Wr had decades of warm relation with maldives & srilanka, both fell for China. We created BD, what did they do to us? Indonesia too will change when they have to choose india or Pakistan & china.

 

[Photon Vish]

Why we are selling Astra to Indonesia, a country who tried to invade india in past.

India and Indonesia Sign Major Defence Cooperation Deals Amidst PM Modi's Visit | - The Times of India

News News: During Prime Minister Modi's visit to Indonesia, significant agreements were made in defence, critical minerals, maritime infrastructure, and electoral technology, enhancing the India-Indonesia strategic alliance.

timesofindia.indiatimes.com

You want countries to be dependent on you.

I would say, if we can make AMCA, we should try hard to sell it to as many countries as we can.

Selling weapons create a dependency, look at us, our govt is still hinged on Russia.

Turkey's defence export is going to reach 15 billion USD this or next year, south korea already reached that.

But where we are ? Not even $5 billion.

Turkey, south korea is trying to sell their latest, greatest weapons, while we dont even sell bvr missile ??


And also economy of scale, if we sell lots of wepon, our on weapon will cost less.

And also, lots of profit to our MIC which will help a self sustaining cycle which will feed in R&D.

We need to act like south korea, turkey or even Sweden, sell as much wepon as we can.

Our country and MIC should act like weapon missionary, trying to aggressively and religiously convert other countries into indian defence buyer.

We need to beat turkey+S korea militry export atleast.

 

[Photon Vish]

We had friendly relation with iran for nearly 40+ years, yet khamaini sided eith Pakistan in 90s. We had given solif 50 years of support to Palestine, yet they supported Pakistan. Wr had decades of warm relation with maldives & srilanka, both fell for China. We created BD, what did they do to us? Indonesia too will change when they have to choose india or Pakistan & china.

None had militry dependency on us.

And except for sri lanka, all other countries went against india because they had islamist as their govt.

Sheikh hasina, who was not islamist (although many of her ministers were), we had good enough relation with bd(except illegal migrants which already came in past).

Indonesia too have many islamist (banda aceh region, protest against a Christian governor and 2 year jail, bali bombing, islamist terrorist wanted to make islamic Republic, ISIS supporters, significant increase in arabisation and increase in hijab/burqa wear rate)

But their govt till now from independence is not islamist, atleast not in govt foreign policy.

If we make them dependent of our MIC, then they will not able to go against india even if they get an islamist govt(except if its iran type islamist govt).

But if Indonesia become dependent or china or pak, then they will 100% be anti india.

 

[Hydra]

None had militry dependency on us.

And except for sri lanka, all other countries went against india because they had islamist as their govt.

Indonesia is the largest Muslim country in world by population.

 

[Photon Vish]

Indonesia is the largest Muslim country in world by population.

Yup, but as i already mentioned, theur govt is mostly secular when it comes to geopolitics.

Having an military dependent Indonesia on india is far better them being dependent on china or pakistan.

 

[Hydra]

Yup, but as i already mentioned, theur govt is mostly secular when it comes to geopolitics.

Having an military dependent Indonesia on india is far better them being dependent on china or pakistan.

Iran was secular, Afghan was secular & FYI Pakistan was secular.