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In an ambitious, unprecedented move, the Indian Air Force is currently in the final stages of a move that could ruffle feathers in Russia — mating a British missile system with its Russian-origin Su-30 MKI fighters, something it has never done before. Top IAF sources tell Livefist that a pair of HAL-built Su-30 MKI jets have undergone requisite software modifications to deploy the MBDA ASRAAM heat-seeking close combat air-to-air missile. What the IAF intends to do is fully replace the Su-30 MKI’s current close combat missile — the Russian-built Vympel R-73 — with the ASRAAM in phases. For a...

As India’s LCA Tejas, which entered tentative service with the Indian Air Force last year, works to prove itself as the combat platform it was intended to be, there’s trouble brewing on a crucial capability that planners won’t be softening on: a close combat air-to-air missile. While the Aeronautical Development Agency (ADA) had chosen the Rafael Defence Python-5 for integration tests, it is now clear that things have run into, well, rough weather. Livefist can confirm that the Indian Air Force has now advanced discussions with MBDA to explore the possibility of the ASRAAM arming the LCA. The selection of...

The Short Take-off Vertical Landing (STOVL) F-35B Lightning II test aircraft has performed maiden land based Ski Jump with on board UK specific weapons. The BF-2 aircraft piloted by Peter "Wizzer" Wilson performed the Ski Jump with Paveway IV LGB & MBDA ASRAAM short range air to air missile, from the Naval Air Station in Patuxent River, Maryland, United States. Four 500 lb Paveway IV laser guided bombs and two MBDA ASRAAM were integrated on external under wing pylons. Both of them can also carried in the internal weapon bay. This external weapon load out will be employed when payload...

An F-35 fighter is shown with ASRAAM missiles. Britain will introduce the missile on F-35Bs in 2022. (Photo: Lockheed Martin) The UK Ministry of Defence (MOD) awarded manufacturer MBDA a £184 million ($240 million) contract to supply an updated version of its infrared-guided ASRAAM missile for British F-35B Lightning II fighters. ASRAAM (advanced short range air-to-air missile) will be the first British-designed missile to enter service on the F-35. ASRAAM is currently in service with Royal Air Force Typhoon and Tornado fighters and is being carried daily on missions over Iraq and Syria as part of the coalition campaign against...

Mumbai: Deals worth at least £370 million (around Rs.3,800 crore) were signed between India and the UK on Monday, the first day of a visit by George Osborne, the British chancellor of the exchequer, and William Hague, the country’s foreign secretary. The Indian Air Force and companies such as the Mahindra Group and Cipla Ltd were among those that signed business agreements with UK-based corporations. Osborne told a press conference in Mumbai that India’s defence ministry has signed a £250 million contact with missile maker MBDA of the UK for the supply of advanced short range air-to-air missiles (ASRAAM) to...

IAF Jaguar Fleet to be Equipped with ASRAAM Missile 26 January 2011 The Indian Air Force Jaguar fleet is to be equipped with MBDA's advanced short-range air-to-air missile (ASRAAM) to provide both short and within-visual-range protection. The weapon system is an operational capability enhancement that would enable a Jaguar pilot to see, engage and kill the target before it had the chance to respond. The missile's ability to fire upwards to a very high altitude is ideally suited to Jaguar's mission as the aircraft operates at a lower altitude than an in-coming threat. Currently, the missile is fully operational on...

The federal government has spent $488 million to equip Australia's F/A-18 Hornet pilots with the world's most advanced missiles. The government declared the RAAF's latest acquisition - the state-of-the-art ASRAAM missile - fully operational, six years after a decision was made to replace older American-made Sidewinder missiles. ASRAAM stands for advanced short-range air-to-air missile and it's regarded as the best in the world for shooting down hostile aircraft at dogfighting ranges out to about 15 kilometres. In a ceremony at RAAF base Williamtown, the home of two of the RAAF's Hornet squadrons, Defence Minister Robert Hill said the ASRAAM was...