India to equip M2000s with Asraam?

M2k upg

Dont know what they will do with appr $ 2 bn for the M2k upg signed with France. It may be included Spectra and Meteor! 😉

Kalyan

Most excellent. So do the Mirages carry R73Es as standard fitment, now?

Sounds unlikely to me. India does not operate this missile as it is. I understand that efforts have been made to integrate the R-73 into the M2K, maybe thats failed and they want a new generation western AAM to replace the Magic? but it has been reported that an upcoming upgrade should see the intergration of a number of Russian missiles- all seems a bit strange to me.:confused:

As per Wolfpack technicians — that has been successfully done..

And Dassault is proposing RDY & MICA-IR/RF as part of M2K upgrade..

Interesting !!! If the IAF indeed goes ahead with the ASRAAM for Jags and Mirages and perhaps others then we would see a range of SRAAM from different countries in IAF Inventory.

Logically me thinks the IAF would have opted of Python-5/R-73 type SRAAM for its future requirement , But knowing the IAF any thing looks possible.

The ASRAAM seems to be designed and optimised for a High Speed,Low Drag Solution with a good seeker but No TVC , Some write up on ASRAAM

But a HMD/ASRAAM would greatly boost Jags ablity to defend itself.

Looks like the Jaguar will also get ASRAAM. Photo from Av Week.

http://www.aviationnow.com/media/images/awst_images/large/AW_02_19_2007_838_L.jpg.

ASRAAM is made by the same blokes who make MICA, so it can’t be ruled out of the package. For ~$40 million per plane (assuming no new frames), this should be a pretty comprehensive upgrade.

M2K upgrade would have made sense if it was initiated a decade ago like Bison. there is no point of putting early 90s vintage RDY/ICMS for next 25 years at this price. and deal hasnt even been signed yet let alone implementation. money would better spent on foreign partenership for LCA.

Obviously the user(IAF in this case) knowns more then you do. The upgradation involves a new radar , displays and other major stuff , also there are speculations of it being enabled to carry russian missiles , also this deal might see abt 40 used mirages, being bought from qatar and french. These 40 if they come and the existing 52 would be upgraded to Mirage 2000-5 standard.

These upgrade would enable the mirages to be around for another 25 years.

I think they are just looking at all the options, but as with everything involving Indian defense procurement it will take a very long time.

Actually ammo and munitions deals are done fast, and so are codevelopment ones. They are just not in the press because of the current Govt, being reliant on the Leftist parties for political support. Which dont like Israel.

I do recall 12 months or so back, reports that India had ideas about buying Python-4 – with the Elbit-DASH helmet mounted sights, for upgrading their Jaguars and Mirage 2000s. What happened to that plan??:confused:

I think they are just looking at all the options, but as with everything involving Indian defense procurement it will take a very long time.

I do recall 12 months or so back, reports that India had ideas about buying Python-4 – with the Elbit-DASH helmet mounted sights, for upgrading their Jaguars and Mirage 2000s. What happened to that plan??:confused:

UAE doesn’t use the Mica IR does it?

Nic

I was under the impression that they did, but I cant find anything to back it up so you may be right?:confused:

I cannot see ASRAAM being much cheaper than MICA- a very limited cost saving at best, and in my opinion highly unlikely considering how much money India is throwing at its M2K upgrade programme.;)

M2K upgrade would have made sense if it was initiated a decade ago like Bison. there is no point of putting early 90s vintage RDY/ICMS for next 25 years at this price. and deal hasnt even been signed yet let alone implementation. money would better spent on foreign partenership for LCA.

I was wondering the same thing? Is this is true it speaks very highly of ASRAAM though, if it is true that the UAE is doing this too it raises serious questions about the WVRAAM capability of MICA as the UAE already uses this missile.

UAE doesn’t use the Mica IR does it?

Nic

MICA-radar guided version is dead certain for M2K after upgrade. there is little value in spending time/money integrating a 1994-vintage AAM like R77 when Russia is proposing two levels of improvements to R77. there’s ample number of Mig29S, Bison and Su30 to utilize the R77 stock until expiry.

for the WVR role, it will be tossup between python5, micaIR and perhaps the vympel K74mk2 thats claimed will equal the aim-9x performance and use IIR seeker.

Getting the ASRAAMs could be a cost cutting measure? Having a MICA only AAM fit could get too expensive, hence the ASRAAM.

I agree with you that it sounds unlikely.
But if we suppose article is accurate, there could be a reason for going for ASRAAM. According to MBDA’s site, they don’t have the MICA-IR in service yet.
The ASRAAM is more mature since it’s been in service with the RAAF since, what, 1999? While the MICA missile is mature, the MICA-IR seeker head and software is still “young” compared to ASRAAM.
If the article is accurate, it could be they want a more mature system.

If we assume the article is accurate then I find your reasoning unlikely. The UAE in particular has no problem whatsoever with imature systems, look at their F-16’s. My suspicion is that ASRAAM is undergoing a marketing push with M2K users as the targets and the author of the article has picked up a hint of this and interpreted it as the weapon is actually being bought.

I agree with you that it sounds unlikely.
But if we suppose article is accurate, there could be a reason for going for ASRAAM. According to MBDA’s site, they don’t have the MICA-IR in service yet.
The ASRAAM is more mature since it’s been in service with the RAAF since, what, 1999? While the MICA missile is mature, the MICA-IR seeker head and software is still “young” compared to ASRAAM.
If the article is accurate, it could be they want a more mature system.

No MICA??

I was wondering the same thing? Is this is true it speaks very highly of ASRAAM though, if it is true that the UAE is doing this too it raises serious questions about the WVRAAM capability of MICA as the UAE already uses this missile.

No MICA??

m2K ASRAAM

Just about to go out but just had a quick google & World Affairs Board is having a discussion on it but nothing of substance it also seems UAE is going the same way.
Got to go Happy New year