India’s Air-To-Air Astra Supermissile System Nears Commissioning As DRDO Tests SFDR Propulsion System

The Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) last week tested a complete solid fuel ducted ramjet (SFDR) propulsion system from a ground-based launcher, blasting a missile system to a high altitude and achieving speeds of Mach 3.

According to a Livefist report, the SFDR technology takes the performance aspects of the beyond visual range air-to-air Astra missile - that runs on a smokeless solid fuel rocket motor - such as range, sustained speed or kinetic energy during the phase when missile close in on its target, to the next level.

The SFDR technology is a $70 million joint effort by India and Russia. DRDO’s latest test of the technology, conducted on 8 February, was a step up from the first trial of the SFDR that was conducted in May 2018.

The missile was guided to high altitude to simulate aircraft release conditions and subsequently the nozzle-less booster was ignited, reports Business Line.

“The SFDR technology will be a legacy leap in our air combat weaponry,” an IAF officer embedded with the SFDR development team was quoted in the Livefist report as saying.

The Astra missile system is reportedly expected to be commissioned this year. Meanwhile, the SFDR technology will be continuously developed by DRDO and the program is expected to achieve demonstrable finality by summer 2020.

“The Astra itself is turning out to be a very capable weapon system, even beyond some of our expectations. With SFDR, as they say, the sky is the limit. We are waiting to see what else this technology can demonstrate, especially from air launches and sustained velocity tests, which we will be gearing up for later this year,” the IAF officer added.