China has taken a big leap in this direction.
New Delhi: Face-to-face war between fighter planes is a thing of the past. Air-to-air missiles (AAM) have become the new face of air dominance. These have become the primary weapons for air-to-air warfare, which can bring down a plane from hundreds of kilometers away. Beyond Visual Range i.e. BVR missiles, also known as AAM missiles, have now become the biggest weapon in modern warfare.
What does China claim?
China has claimed to have taken the biggest leap in this direction. China has claimed that it has tested an air-to-air missile with a range of up to 1000 kilometers in the air. If China’s claim is correct, then it means that the definition of air warfare has changed forever. Having a range of one thousand kilometers means that enemy fighter jets will not be able to fly. China can wreak havoc from Japan to Taiwan with these missiles.
How powerful is the new Chinese air-to-air missile?
Reports in the South China Morning Post say that the Chinese army is developing a new hypersonic air to air missile, which will have a range of between 800 and 1000 kilometers. Experts believe that if this is not China’s propaganda and if the report is correct, then it means that this missile can also shoot down the world’s most advanced fighter jets like the American F-22 Raptor, B-21 Raider and F-35 stealth fighter jet. According to the report, the speed of this air to air missile can be Mach 5 (6174 kmph) or even more.
Why is the world concerned by China’s latest air to air missile?
The hypersonic speed and such a high range of the air-to-air missile means that it will be the most dangerous missile in the world. In such a situation, the air combat doctrine of America, India, Japan, Taiwan and other countries may need to be redesigned. At present, India is close to developing the Astra-3 air-to-air missile, whose range is expected to be around 400 kilometers. While the range of America’s AIM-174B is also around 400 kilometers. The range of Russia’s R-37M missile is also between 350 to 400 kilometers. That is, the maximum range of the existing air-to-air missiles in the world is around 400 kilometers, but this one thousand kilometer missile of China can change every strategy and equation.
Why is it a matter of concern for India?
Indian Air Force currently has Astra Mk-1 and soon, it will have Astra Mk-2 and Mk-3 missiles. But the range of these missiles is between 200 and 400 kilometers. Given the Chinese claim of having a 1000-kilometer hypersonic missile, India will not only have to speed up the development of Astra series missiles but also develop hypersonic air to air missiles. Apart from this, ISRO and DRDO will have to jointly develop such sensors and radar systems that can track hypersonic missiles flying at such a distance in time. Air to air missiles are usually made to shoot down enemy fighter planes as well as surveillance aircraft AWACS, AEW&CS, in such a situation India will have to keep its AWACS, AEW&CS aircraft under security cover.
