SOURCE: IDRW NEWS NETWORK
The Defence Research and Development Organisation recently bagged massive orders for its 110km ranged Astra Mk1 beyond visual range air to air missile and soon has plans to start developmental trials of the Astra Mk2 that will have a range of 160-180km in coming months with Astra Mk3 that has a range over 300km also in the pipeline, DRDO family of air to air missile will not be complete unless it also develops short-ranged air to air missiles, but idrw.org has been told that three new program is in work to meet such requirements.
Astra IR is an interim solution where the basic airframe of the Astra Mk1 will be used to equip it with an imaging infra-red homing seeker to be used as an all-weather, fire-and-forget short and medium-range missile system. Astra IR will have a reduced range than Astra Mk1 but will also have better maneuverability in the terminal phase. Astra IR will be capable of lock-on after launch (LOAL) feature which means the missile can be fired even before the seeker acquires the target at the launch acquisition range. Astra IR will be DRDO’s first Indigenous offering in the short-range air-to-air missile program.
MANPAD ATAM is an air-to-air variant of the MPDMS (Man-Portable Defensive Missile System) that is under development for the Indian Army and Indian Airforce requirements for the man-portable air-defense system. MANPAD ATAM will be designed to be used by Attack Helicopters or MALE/HALE Class UAVs. MANPAD ATAM will have a range of 5-7km and can be used to take out hostile drones, UAS and helicopters. After completion of developmental trials of the MPDMS program, it will be followed by the MANPAD ATAM program soon after.
The Close Combat Air to Air missile system program will be further development of the Astra IR but with have much more agility and maneuverability to take out combat jets and other fast-moving aerial threats at a range of 30-45km. The development of Desi CCM will replace Russian R-73 CCM and will supplement ASRAAM and Python-5 in the fleet. Desi CCM program has been taken up but the developmental trials might begin only after 2025.
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