After A Loss To Pakistan, India Wants Israel To Replace Its Russian Air-To-Air Missiles
What troubles the Indian Air Force was that Pakistan was able to destroy an Indian jet from long range.
by
Michael Peck
Key point: India is now looking to Israel, from whom it has purchased numerous weapon. But New Delhi isn't done buying Russian military technology.
After losing one of its fighters to Pakistani jets armed with American-made missiles in 2019, India is not happy with its Russian-made missiles.
In fact, it wants to replace its Russian air-to-air missiles with Israeli weapons, according to Indian news site NDTV.
“In two years from now, the Indian Air Force's frontline Sukhoi-30 fighters may be re-armed with Israeli Derby air-to-air missiles after the jet's Russian-made R-77 missiles were found wanting in air combat operations over the Line of Control on February 27,”
NDTV said.
During air battles along the Kashmir border on February 26 and 27 of last year, an Indian Air Force (IAF) MiG-21 was shot down, apparently by a U.S.-made AIM-120 AMRAAM (Advanced Medium-Range Air-to-Air Missile) fired by one of Pakistan Air Force’s (PAF) American-built F-16 fighters. India claims to have downed a Pakistani fighter – which Pakistan denies – but India was still embarrassed by the capture of its MiG-21 pilot, who was shown on Pakistani television and later returned.
What troubles the Indian Air Force was that Pakistan was able to destroy an Indian jet from long range. “Among the Indian Air Force's fighters which were targeted were two Sukhoi-30s which managed to evade the AMRAAMs which were fired at close to their maximum range of 100 kilometers [62 miles],” according to NDTV. “Fully defensive and desperate to escape the incoming AMRAAMs, the IAF Sukhoi-30s escaped being shot down but were unable to retaliate the F-16s because they were out of position and their own missiles, the Russian R-77s, did not have the range to realistically engage the Pakistani fighters. IAF sources told NDTV that the Russian missiles do not match its advertised range and cannot engage targets which are more than 80 kilometers [50 miles] away.”
The early-model AIM-120A/B has a range of up to 75 kilometers (46 miles). But in 2010, Pakistan received a batch of the AIM-120C-5, with a range of 100 kilometers (62 miles). The most advanced AIM-120D has an estimated range of up to 160 kilometers (100 miles).
“The PAF surprised the IAF by launching air-to-air missiles from inside Azad Kashmir,” said Sameer Joshi, a former Indian Air Force fighter pilot. “The AMRAAM effectively outranged the IAF air-to-air missiles which did not get a command to launch.”
India is now looking to Israel, from whom it has purchased numerous weapons, such as the Heron drone and
the Derby, a radar-guided, beyond-visual-range air-to-air missile with a range of 50 kilometers (31 miles). To counter AMRAAM-armed Pakistani F-16s, the IAF is looking at the improved I-Derby, which features a more radar seeker and – most importantly – a 100-kilometer (62 mile) range.
But that raises another problem: how to integrate an Israeli missile into a Russian airframe (and an ironic problem, given how much Russian-built planes have been destroyed by Israeli missiles). “Integrating the missile into the Russian fighter will be a challenge and, according to sources, will require Israeli expertise, particularly in developing a data-link between the Sukhoi-30 and the missile, once it is fired,” according to NDTV. “A fighter jet communicates with the missile through the data link and passes on updated vectors (location) of the fighter which has been targeted.”
Strangely, while disparaging Russian missiles and buying Israeli ones, the Indian Air Force is reportedly ordering yet
more Russian weapons. Moscow is offering medium- and long-range versions of the underperforming R-77.
Michael Peck is a contributing writer for the National Interest. He can be found on Twitter and Facebook. This article appeared last year.
Image: Reuters.
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Some info about Derby ..
Derby (Alto) is a beyond visual range (BVR) air-to-air missile (AAM) developed by Israeli defence company Rafael Advanced Defense Systems to meet the combat needs of the armed forces.
The Derby AAM can be integrated onto a variety of fighter aircraft such as F-5,
F-16 Fighting Falcon, Gripen E and Mirage and is capable of engaging aerial threats from short ranges and near-beyond visual range.
Derby can be configured as a surface-to-air missile (SAM) for launch from a Spyder-SR / MR short and medium-range mobile air defence system, which also incorporates Python-5 dual waveband imaging infrared (IIR) missile.
In November 2019, the naval variant of the LCA Tejas fighter aircraft carried the Derby BVR missile during a successful launch from a shore-based test facility in Goa, India.
Derby BVR missile development details
Development of the Derby began in early-1980s, while the missile was introduced in mid-1990s. The missile entered service in 1998 and is operational with six countries.
Rafael Armament Development Authority received a $25m contract in February 2005 to supply 20 Derby BVR missiles and six practice missiles for integration onto the Indian Navy’s Sea Harrier aircraft.
Derby missile variants
Derby’s variants include I-Derby and I-Derby ER (Extended Range). The upgraded I-Derby AAR missile is equipped with a software-defined active radar seeker and was unveiled at the Aero India 2015 exhibition held in Bengaluru, India.
The I-Derby ER advanced active radar missile was unveiled at the Paris Air Show 2015. It features a solid-state active radar seeker and a dual pulse rocket motor, which provides an operational range of up to 100km.
The missile can be launched from Sea Harrier jet fighter, F-16 (Block 52) Fighting Falcon, F-5E Tiger II, and IAI Kfir combat aircraft. It was exhibited during the Seoul International Aerospace and Defence Exhibition (ADEX) held Seoul, South Korea, in October 2015.
The I-Derby ER has been selected by India to equip the LCA Tejas light combat supersonic fighter.
The Indian Air Force is also considering equipping its Sukhoi Su-30MKI fighter jets with I-Derby ER missiles.
Test-firing from LCA Tejas
The missile was successfully test-fired for the first time from LCA Tejas aircraft in May 2017 as part of integration and demonstration tests. The launch was followed by another test-firing in April 2018 to expand the firing envelope. The successful tests were instrumental in the fighter achieving the Final Operational Clearance (FOC) in February 2019.
Derby air-to-air missile design and features
The Derby BVR
missile, featuring lightweight design, is equipped with four main wings and four conventional planar fins in the tail assembly. It is designed to offer increased operational flexibility and multi-shot capability.
“Powered by a rocket motor, the Derby missile has a speed of Mach 4 and can hit targets at a range of up to 50km.”
The weapon has a length of 362cm, a wing span of 64cm and a diameter of 16cm. It weighs 118kg and is armed with a 23kg warhead. The seeker and guidance system are fitted in the front of the missile, while the rocket motor is placed at the rear.
The missile can operate in lock-on before launch (LOBL) and lock-on after launch (LOAL) modes. In LOAL mode of operation, it receives target information after being deployed from its launch platform, while in LOBL mode, which is enabled in tight dogfights, the seeker is locked onto the target before the missile is launched.
Guidance and warhead
The active
radar seeker provides guidance and improved target accuracy at radio frequency (RF). The radar’s look-down / shoot-down capability enables the missile to attack targets below and along the line of the horizon.
Derby’s high-explosive fragmentation (HE-FRAG) warhead defeats non-armoured targets and light material targets.
The weapon features fire-and-forget engagement capability and can be optionally fitted with advanced, programmable electronic counter countermeasures (ECCM) for operation in hostile environments.
Performance of the Derby missile for enemy target launch
Powered by a rocket motor, the Derby missile has a speed of Mach 4 and can hit targets at a range of up to 50km. It can be launched at an enemy target under all weather conditions, both during day and at night.
