The Indian Air Force (IAF) is all set to arm the Advanced Short Range Air-to-Air Missile (ASRAAM) on its MiG-29 UPG fighter jets to upgrade close-combat capability.
To integrate and test the ASRAAM on the MiG-29 UPG variant, a request for proposals was issued by the Ministry of Defence on Mar. 25. Apart from the missile, the highly-anticipated project also covers the associated equipment as well as necessary launchers and training for aircrew and ground personnel.
ASRAAM: What To Know?
It is a European-designed short-range air-to-air missile that has been made by the multinational company MBDA. Weighing 88 kgs, the missile measures 2.9 metres in length and has a diameter of 166 mm. It carries a high-explosive warhead.
In 2021, MBDA signed an agreement with the Bharat Dynamics Limited. It provided local assembly and testing of the missile. For the same, a dedicated center is currently under construction in Telangana’s Hyderabad.
As per the official MBDA website, ASRAAM is in service with the UK Royal Air Force as well as the Royal Australian Air Force. In India, the missile has already been integrated on the indigenous LCA Tejas and Jaguar aircraft.
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The range of the missile exceeds 25 kms, which is more than double than the Soviet-era R-73 missile that it is intended to replace on the MiG-29 jets. As present, over 55 MiG-29s, including eight twin-seat trainer versions, are being operated by the Indian Air Force.
Recently, Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd (HAL) in a report told a parliamentary panel on defence that the state-run aerospace major had an order for supplying 34 Dhruv, 180 LCA Tejas Mk-1A aircraft and 156 Prachand attack helicopters to the Indian armed forces.
“We have successfully completed the integration of the radar and DWU. We have also successfully completed the ASRAAM testing for air-to-air missiles and the ASTRA beyond visual range missile,” the report quoted HAL’s CMD as saying.
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ASRAAM To Make MiG‑29 Fighter Jets More Lethal
Originally produced in the former Soviet Union, the aircraft had entered production there in August 1983. India signed a contract to acquire it in September 1986. The country received its maiden aircraft via sea and the same was assembled at facility in Pune by the manufacturer in mid-1987.
During a ceremony in Pune, they were formally inducted into service on Dec. 6, 1987 with Nos 28 and 47 Squadrons.
With the addition of ASRAAM missiles, the MiG-29 UPG will go on to retire the R-73, which an ageing weapon from the 1980s having a maximum range between 10-15 kms.
The Indian Air Force is said to be planning to replace the R-73 with ASRAAM – a fourth-generation missile – across its entire inventory.
On ASRAAM, MBDA states, “Its 166mm diameter rocket motor and very low drag, aerodynamic airframe, gives ASRAAM unrivalled speed and manoeuvrability throughout the flight envelope. ASRAAM has full ‘Lock On Before Launch’ and ‘Lock On After Launch’ operating modes.”
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Carefully optimised for close-in dogfights the missile uses heat-seeking technology and operates on a fire-and-forget principle. Once it is launched, the missile guides itself to the target without the requirement of further input from the pilot. It can reach speeds in excess of Mach 3.
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