Indian Defence Review

Russian Vympel R-77

Russian Vympel R-73

Vympel NPO, the Soviet design and production facility which is now part of Tactical Missile Corporation also known as TRV designed the R-73 air-to-air missile. The R-73 infra red missile was designed to replace the R-60 close combat missile which was the mainstay of Soviet forces. It radically changed the tactics of air combat due to its ability to “see” targets up to 60 degrees off the missile’s centre line and by allowing pilots to target an aircraft by merely looking at it through a helmet mounted sight. The advanced R-73 missiles have Thrust Vectoring Control (TVC) that offers increased agility. It is claimed that the missile is effective from a range of 300 metres to nearly 30 kms. The R-73 missile has been designed to operate in an all-weather, day/night and jamming environment. It is a fire-and-forget missile with a passive infra-red seeker which locks on before launch. The R-73 entered service in 1982 but subsequent developments of the missile saw the next version, the R-73M with longer range and better Infra Red Counter Counter-measures (IRCCM).

The improved version R-74M has fully digital and re-programmable systems thus enlarging the operational envelope. This missile is fully compatible with the MiG-29, upgraded MiG-21, Su-30 MKI and can also be carried by the Russian Mi-24, Mi-28 and Kamov Ka-50 helicopters. Reports indicate that India has about 450 missiles on its inventory.

Russian Vympel R-77

The Russian R-77 is an extended medium range air-to-air missile featuring an active radar seeker to engage multiple targets simultaneously. There are other versions of the missile with infrared and passive instead of the active radar seeker. The missile uses a multi-function Doppler-monopulse active radar seeker. During a short range launch, the missile is launched in a fire-and-forget mode but in a long range launch, the R-77 initially depends on an inertial navigation system with optional in-flight target position updates from the launch aircraft’s sensors. When the missile is about 20 kms from the target, its radar homing head activates and directs it to the target.

The launch aircraft radar system maintains computed target information in case the target breaks the missiles lock-on. The missile has a solid rocket motor with an air breathing ramjet which can accelerate the missile to a speed of 4.5 Mach with an operating range of up to 140 kms. The unique aerodynamics of the missile give it a maximum turn rate of up to 150 degrees per second. The missile is used on most of the Russian Air Force fighter aircraft and was designed to counter the AIM-120 AMRAAM. India and China are the major users of this missile and as per the United Nations Register of Conventional Arms, the IAF has 177 of these missiles.

Raytheon AIM-120 AMRAAM

The Raytheon AIM-120 Advanced Medium Range Air-to-Air Missile was developed as a result of an agreement in the 1980’s between the US and some of the NATO nations to develop air-to-air missiles and share production technology. The US was to develop the next generation medium range missile to replace the AIM-7 Sparrow and the NATO countries would develop the next generation short range missile to replace the AIM-9 Sidewinder. However, the agreement fell through and resulted in the US independently developing the AIM-120 and AIM-9X Sidewinder and Germany along with Italy, Sweden, Greece and Norway developing the IRIS-T missile.

The AIM-120 has an all-weather BVR capability and is effective against low flying targets. The missile is guided to a point where the onboard active radar comes on and directs it till impact with the target. This gives the pilot a ‘fire-and-forget’ capability and the freedom to engage multiple targets or perform evasive manoeuvres while the missile guides itself to the target. The missile has a range of 50 to 75 kms and attains a maximum speed of Mach 4. It is carried by the Eurofighter Typhoon.

IRIS-T

An agreement signed in the 1980s between the US and some of the NATO countries called upon the UK and Germany to produce the AIM-132, a short-range close combat missile to replace the AIM-9 Sidewinder. The programme did not get off the ground as the UK and Germany could not come to an agreement on the design of the airframe particularly the lack of thrust vectoring which was considered essential to improve the flight parameters of the missile. The UK decided to go its own way in the development of the AIM-132 ASRAAM and Germany decided to design a new missile. In 1995, the Germany-led consortium announced the Infra Red Imaging System Thrust Vector (IRIS-T) programme to develop a short range close combat missile to replace the AIM-9 Sidewinder for the NATO. Initially the consortium consisted of Germany, Italy, Sweden, Greece, Canada and Norway. Subsequently, Canada pulled out of the programme but Spain joined in 2003. The German Air Force took the first delivery of the IRIS-T missile in 2005. The missile can be carried by any aircraft that can use the AIM-9 Sidewinder. It is carried by the Eurofighter Typhoon and has been acquired by countries that operate the Lockheed Martin F-16, Boeing F-18 and the Saab Gripen.

AIM-132 ASRAAM

The breakdown of the joint development between Germany and the UK to produce the AIM 132 Advanced Short Range air-to-air missile provided the start point for the independent development of this missile by the UK. The missile is conceptually different from other missiles in that it has been made to engage targets at the maximum range. The missile, also designed to engage the target at close ranges, can be fired in both LOBL as a conventional heat seeker mode or LOAL like a BVR missile. The missile can also be used as an expendable Infra Red Search and Track device. The ASRAAM can be fired “over the shoulder” under high G and high angle of attack flight conditions as long as the pilot can sight the target through the helmet-mounted sight. The missile is used by the Royal Air Force and the Royal Australian Air Force. It is reported that the Jaguars of the IAF may be equipped with the ASRAAM as a replacement for the Magic Matra missiles.

Air-to-Air Missiles as Surface-to-Air Missiles

A recent trend is the development is the dual use of air-to-air missiles for ground-based defences. The commonality of missile systems reduces the development and manufacturing costs and makes this an attractive option. The US Marine Corps Complementary Low Altitude Weapons System (CLAWS) programme explored the possibility of using the AIM-120 to augment the air defence capability against low flying aircraft and cruise missiles. The AIM-120 is also used by the Norwegian Advanced Surface Missile Systems (NASAMS) as a ground-based surface-to-air missile. The British Common Anti Air Modular Missile is to use the airframe and some components of the ASRAAM infrared missile for modularity and to lower cost. Similarly, the MICA missile can also be used as a short-range surface-to-air missile as the VL MICA and is fired from a truck-mounted box launcher. The Israeli Surface-to-air PYthon 5 and DERby (SPYDER) uses a combination of Python and Derby air-to-air missiles to function as a low-level air defence system.

Prospects for the IAF

The selection of the French Rafale will see the IAF acquire the fifth generation BVR and close combat missiles for the new fleet. The French Rafale carries 8 X Matra MICA air-to-air missiles and the other missile that will be fielded by the IAF in future will be the Defence Research and Development Organisation Astra BVR missile for the Tejas LCA produced by Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd. The single-stage solid fuel Astra is to be integrated with the Sukhoi Su-30 MKI, MiG-29 and the Mirage-2000. The development of the Astra has not been as speedy as the IAF would have liked it to be and the IAF plans to equip the Tejas with the Israeli Rafael Derby BVR missile in the interim with deliveries expected by the end of 2012.

On January 04, 2012, the Cabinet Committee on Security approved the procurement of 490 MICA air-to-air missiles for the soon-to-be-upgraded Mirage-2000 fleet. This procurement provides MBDA the edge in the selection of weapons for the MMRCA fleet.

EXOCET AM39 and MICA on Rafale

In addition to the acquisitions by the IAF, the Indian Navy is set to have a fleet of 100 combat fighters as a part of its own, mostly ship-borne assets of some 500 aircraft and helicopters. The Indian Navy has already ordered 45 MiG-29K fighters and another 60 carrier-borne fighter aircraft are likely to be ordered in the future. Various aircraft manufacturers including Boeing, Lockheed Martin, French Dassault, and Swedish Saab have made presentations for the F-18 Super Hornet, F-35 Joint Strike Fighter, Rafale and the Sea Gripen respectively. There is also a naval version of the HAL-manufactured LCA for consideration. Thus, the Indian Navy will have a sizeable requirement of air-to-air missiles for its fleet of combat aircraft.

Over the next decade, the IAF will be one of the world’s single largest buyers of air-to-air missiles. The tactical scenario on India’s Western border with Pakistan calls for the IAF to have a mix of air-to-air missiles which will enable it to intercept low flying aircraft well before they enter Indian airspace. On the Eastern front with China, the IAF needs air-to-air missiles against hostile aircraft and cruise missiles that can mask their approach making use of the mountainous terrain. Fifth generation air-to-air missiles will, undoubtedly, hold the key to the air superiority of the IAF in the coming years.