India’s indigenous Light Combat Aircraft Tejas recently added the capability of firing Israeli-origin Python-5 air-to-air missile (AAM) after successful tests that validated full operational capabilities a few weeks back when it launched off the coast of Goa where the target was at 6 of the LCA-Tejas and missile after been fired took a 180° turn before taking down its target, thus validating one of the critical requirements to take out targets while being chased.
Rafael Advanced Defense Systems recently has enhanced its fifth-generation Python-5 short-range air-to-air missile (AAM) with a networked capability, enabling it to acquire targets in a tactical air-to-air environment from associate aircraft equipped with the company’s Global Link software-defined radio (SDR) system.
Python-5 being an image infrared homing seeker-based short air to air missile is equipped with “lock-on after launch” (LOAL) capabilities that don’t require direct input from the main fire control radar when the missile is launched towards its target. The addition of the Global link Software-defined Radio (SDR) will come as a boom to the LCA-Tejas fleet since no additional transceiver is required to be installed on the aircraft because the same SDR enables the uplink functions to the missile.
Immediately after Balakot, the IAF had decided to buy Software Defined Radios (SDR), and integrate them with the entire fighter aircraft fleets. This emergency purchase of 400 BNET SDRs from Israel was meant for the Mirage-2000, MiG-29, and Sukhoi-30 fighters of the IAF and will also come on LCA-Tejas Mk1A for secure network-centric operations, that can also be used to fire Python-5 equipped on the other aircraft.
The BNET SDRs will ensure secure communication not just between fighters in the air, but also between fighters in the air and the ground installations and importantly between the fighters in the air and the AWACS (Airborne Warning and Control System).
