Life of Soldiers: Su 30

Saturday, June 20, 2015

IAF haunted by repeated crashes! What exactly is happening ?

IAF jets are falling from the skies, what exactly is happening ?

IAF top brass is worried, not for the depleting squadron numbers but it’s the repeated crashes that have for long haunted the air force. An answer to this is to be found in the near future if IAF has to keep up the morale. This year alone IAF has already lost six aircraft, even the most advanced jet of the fleet Su-30 MKI has crashed raising alarms.

IAF has lost two Jaguar deep strike aircraft, and the advanced hawk trainers. Every year IAF loses around ten aircraft as a result of crashes for most of the crashes mechanical issues emerge as the main problem. With a depleting force these crashes may prove costly and with every crash reduces the morale and confidence of the guardians manning their machines 24/7 come what may.

This year the crash pattern is very disturbing -

January - Mig 21

March - Jaguar

May - MiG 27

May - Su 30 MKI

June - Hawk AJT

June - Jaguar

The very main reason for crash has been mechanical issues but there have been isolated cases when human error’s have also led to crashes.

First up the MiG 21

India currently operates nearly 200 of the upgraded Bison and Bis variants, all these jets are scheduled to be phased out within the next two to three years. MiG 21 will be replaced by the home grown LCA Tejas. Mig 21’s have proven their might overtime and have completed some of the most difficult missions possible by a fighter jet. But the MiG 21 is a aging platform that has crosses its shelf life. The replacement program for MiG 21 was conceived but is materializing only now. A stop gap measure was totally out of question owing to the cost and the setback LCA would receive it was ever to happen.

Many other nations currently operate MiG 21 in their fleet, notably Syria which is using it against ISIS. Syria has lost only three fighter jets over these years. The reason for crash was the missiles and rockets targeted at them by ISIS extremists. Is the maintenance of aircraft to be blamed for this? The facts themselves speak out, India lost over four MiG-21 at the same time Syria lost three but all three were lost in hostile environments. But out MiG-21 were on routine sorties and not on active combat duty.

Not much changes with the advanced version of Mikoyan series IAF operates. The back bone and the most advanced jets of our air force the ‘Flankers’ have their own story to narrate. Right from the induction phase flankers have had problems with their engines and fly-by wire technology. IAF has repeatedly raised this issue with HAL the primary maintainer for Indian jets.

HAL has in turn requested Russian firms to resolve the issue. The solution worked out by Russians is yet to be inducted in to our jets leaving them vulnerable. IAF flies more than 200 Su-30 which are to guarantee ‘air-superiority’ for the nation, six Su-30 have crashed so far since their induction into the force. Russian’s till date have lost only a single flanker till date which was attributed to a pilot error. Again a question rises as to what is the issue?

What can be the reason for these crashes?

The very first step in IAF has a huge and unaddressable problem, lack of training to the future guardians. IAF is the fourth largest air force in the world, yet lacks a reliable trainer jet. Basic, intermediate and advanced platforms are missing in the air force, the Hawk is being inducted in large numbers. Pilatus is also being induced but when the pilots are to operate the most advanced jets will this really help? Most of our jets are based on Russian technology but the training is held mainly in western jets, will this not compromise the knowledge and skill of our pilots?

Issue with maintenance is another reason IAF to worry of. The availability rate of Su 30 MKI is currently 50%, meaning of the 200 odd Su 30 MKI less than 100 jets are in flying condition. The aircraft are checked and re-checked before taking to the skies, soon after landing the pilots are required to note down even the minute changes in the system. And it is up to the maintenance team from then to get the aircraft to its best possible state. IAF has raised its concern with the number of ground staff available for maintaining these jets.

The spare parts issue has also haunted IAF for years, with jets being imported from other countries IAF again has to depend upon these nations for maintaining the jets. The contracts for the spare parts are contracted and sub contracted which turns out to be a big issue in the whole story. The procurement of these crucial parts is a long and cumbersome process and has to be cleared by various offices before being finally cleared for procurement.

These long pending delays usually cripple the operations of the jet. All IAF jets have to undergo scheduled maintenance at regular intervals to make sure the jets are in the best possible conditions. HAL usually contracts these key functions to private companies who in turn sub contract the work thus crippling the work cycle a certain authority is not maintained. The contracts rely upon HAL for procuring spares and HAL again has to look up to the base countries of the jet to dispatch the spares thus delaying the whole work.

The other problem can be the flying hours attained by the jet, the service availability issue was a very critical problem in the last regime. 50% availability is extremely low considering the age of the jets. A single hour of flight can cost well over a million. Are our jets really clocking the mandated flying hours?

The new government is now drawing up plans to boost our aerospace industries. HAL is up for a major revamp at the same time the IAF has to receive a free hand in the maintenance issues. Just inducting newer aircraft to the fleet will not serve the purpose, IAF and the Indian government has to stress on maintaining these muscular beasts in the best of the possible forms.

Editor - Karthik Kakoor

Friday, March 20, 2015

Astra Beyond Visual Range Missile

Su 30 MKI with two actual Astra BVRAAM

Astra is DRDO's home conceived Missile program. Astra is a Beyond Visual Range Air to Air missile to which can at ease shoot down hostile air craft. Astra incorporates latest technologies which is comparable to most of the advanced western and Russian BVR missiles. Fighters equipped with BVR missiles can shoot long range hostile air borne objects. The engagement range of the missile varies between 50 to 100 kilometers, but this range drastically reaches about 80 kilometers in higher altitudes. Astra uses an active radar seeker to guide the missile to the designated target. Missile is powered by an improved smokeless rocket engine which is fuelled by solid propellants.

DRDO started working an effective Air to Air missile for the IAF since 2000’s after making huge ground breaking work in technology and huge efforts in the designing stage. By 2003 DRDO successfully launched a missile from a ground based testing facility. With the first launch DRDO tested the missile for the aerodynamic capabilities and missile design performance the missile was tested without a warhead and target seekers. The missile program was started from the scratch which meant DRDO could design a new generation missile system which would be ahead of other missile programs.

By March 2007 the missile was again test fired from a ground based facility. On 27 March 2007, Astra was launched vertically which meant missile could be used as a long-range surface-to-air missile by the Indian Navy and could be used by the IN to arm its fleet of destroyers and frigates. The missile was again successfully test fired on 13 September 2008.

After series of tests, DRDO again test fired the missile equipped with ‘Seeker and guidance system’. Astra at this stage of was equipped with an Russian developed target seeker system. Satisfied with the seeker guidance and control systems DRDO started integrating the Astra missile system with an aircraft which paved the way for a dream turning to reality. During the first integrated ground based launch DRDO evaluated dual mode guidance system which meant the missile was first fired from an test range and would then acquire and lock on the designated target.

IAF allotted two of its advanced Su 30 MKI Air superiority fighters for the crucial Astra program under which DRDO and HAL would carry out the initial data link establishment in the aircraft and the main missile control system. It was in November 2009 that an IAF Su 30 MKI flew over the Pune Airspace and checking the missiles captive trials. Captive trial does not involve firing the missile itself rather it checks capabilities of the missile integrated in pylons of the aircraft when the aircraft maneuvers around brining tremendous pressure on the pylons and the missile itself. Sukhoi carried out four sorties integrated with Astra and demonstrated several crucial flight performances. It is claimed Sukhoi maneuvered at 7G and continued its flight for more than an hour and soon achieved supersonic speeds. After the tests DRDO team tested the missiles parameters and were satisfied with the results. Captive or Aero mechanical integrity tests allows verification of aspects such as the mechanical, structural and electrical compatibility between the missile and the aircraft, and to test the levels of vibrations, strain, stress, etc experienced by the missile systems during an flight.

After the captive tests DRDO went ahead with plans to test the missile system under extreme weather conditions. DRDO ascertained the missile could be fired under any condition. DRDO geared up for yet another series of night trails during July 2010. Within an Year DRDO again tested the missile from a ground based launcher to make sure the program was matured enough to be in fact fired from an aircraft. By May 2010 DRDO yet again successfully fired the missile testing it under inclement weather conditions.

With the DRDO and HAL team completing the modification and integration of the missile system with the aircraft by the end of 2012, DRDO launched another battery of tests under which a Astra missile was launched from an ground based launch pad and the missile successfully intercepted a transonic maneuvering pilot less aircraft. Even under the interference from PTA's electronic countermeasure the Astra hit the target and the proximity fuse controlled High explosive destroyed the PTA completely. Notably during the test the missile achieved a max speed of Mach 3.5.

After years of development and testing on 4th May 2014, the missile was successfully test fired from an IAF Su 30 MKI. DRDO confirmed the success of the launch and termed the launch as a ‘textbook launch’ and also clarified the test met all pre-planned mission objectives. The launch was also captured by high speed cameras fitted in the Sukhoi pylon for analysis of the missiles performance. But here during the test Astra did not intercept any stimulated target.

On 18th March 2015 an Astra missile was fired from an Su 30 MKI and intercepted a electronic stimulated target, a electronic stimulated target is something a flying object which is dropped by another aircraft for target practice, during the tests the missile experienced forces greater than 27G and exhibited hard man oeuvres during a dived down intercept, the missile intercepted the target at an altitude of 6000 feet. A DRDO press release regarding the launch is still awaited.'

The main objective of the test was to intercept and destroy a maneuvering pilot less target aircraft. On 19th March 2014 an Su 30 MKI under the service of Indian air force which was armed with a Astra missile scrambled to intercept an PTA off the Odisha coast. Locating the target the missile was fired from the aircraft. The target was successfully engaged and it was captured by Telemetry and Electro-optical tracking stations. In place of warhead it's carry’s the telemetry equipment’s.

Interesting stats about the Astra BVR AAM.

Due to its smokeless engine it's extremely tough to visually confirm the missiles trajectory.
With the help of Active seeker the missile can be used in buddy mode too, which means a Su 30 MKI can launch the Astra from long range and an nearby friendly aircraft can update the missile to the correct path thanks to its mid-course update.
Astra is a fire and forget missile which allows the aircraft to launch the missile from an decent distance from an enemy aircraft and fly back from the hostile zone.
Another important feature is the impressive G power the missile can sustain; the missile can sustain 40G's whereas manned fighters can maneuver only 9G's.
Astra has an impressive flight altitude of around 20 kilometers. (60,000+ feet)
Astra is capable of achieving nearly 4.0 mach. Most of the Fighter jets can pull up to 2.5 mach only. The missile can be effective in tail chase mode.
Astra is equipped with ECCM suites to outperform aircraft’s countermeasure and radio interference.

There are several plans to indigenous the missile completely by replacing Russian R 77 radar seeker into Indian made one. And the improved Mark II version with an increased range is also under planning. Su 30, MiG 29, Mirage 2000, Jaguar and Tejas are to be armed with Astra which can prove to be a force multiplier.