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Brazil may not acquire the A-Darter air-to-air missile
By Bilal Khan
Engineering News, a leading South African news outlet, recently reported that Brazil is likely to walk away from the A-Darter within-visual-range air-to-air missile (WVRAAM) program. The cause appears to be a result of stringent cuts to the country’s defence spending, particularly towards development.
The A-Darter is a 5th-generation WVRAAM designed and jointly developed by the South African defence vendor Denel Dynamics and its Brazilian counterpart Mectron. As a high off-boresight (HOBS) air-to-air missile, the A-Darter could be slaved to a helmet-mounted display and sight (HMD/S) system, enabling the pilot to cue the missile to its target using his or her own eyesight.
The A-Darter’s development was formally initiated in 2007 through a $130 million U.S. deal between the two countries, the missile had entered production in South Africa in 2015, and the first batch of missiles were transferred to the South African Air Force in February 2016.
Under the agreement, Brazil was to acquire its own production facility. Unfortunately, that may not be possible for the time being. Moreover, the Brazilian Air Force was reportedly evaluating the German Diehl BGT IRIS-T, which is slotted for integration on the Swedish Saab JAS-39E/F Gripen, which Brazil is acquiring as part of its fleet modernization efforts. The reason why it is looking at the IRIS-T has to do with the fact that it would need to pay extra for integrating the A-Darter onto the Gripen (whereas Saab is committed to already integrating the IRIS-T as part of its general product offering).
That said, Brazil did pay for the development of the A-Darter, and its support has enabled at least Denel Dynamics in South Africa to produce and market the missile. At present, the Pakistan Air Force (PAF) is believed to be interested in the A-Darter for use on the JF-17 Thunder. This was officially noted by the Air Vice Marshal Arshad Malik, the Chief Project Director for the JF-17 program.[1]
Given the fact that at least 150 JF-17s will need to be supported with a HOBS AAM, an order by the PAF could be a comparatively lucrative windfall for Denel Dynamics and even Mectron, considering it has a stake in the program. Pakistan has had dealings with both vendors in the past, and it will be interesting to see how the PAF engages with them considering it would be both the launch export customer as well as highest volume buyer of the A-Darter. We hope for technology transfer to enable local production, but it is likely the PAF would settle for a large off-the-shelf purchase from South Africa instead.
As a general point, the acquisition of a 5th-gen WVRAAM and HMD/S for the JF-17 would be an excellent way for the PAF to bill the Thunder as a credible defensive asset. Granted, it is no top tier fighter, but the capacity to integrate top tier capabilities onto the platform helps bridge certain gaps, particularly against more capable adversaries.
[1] Alan Warnes. “JF-17 Thunder: Pakistan’s multi-role fighter.” Note: a special publication released by the Pakistan Air Force during the Paris Air Show of 2015. – See more at: http://quwa.org/2016/04/11/ideas-jf-17-block-iiis-helmet-mounted-display-sight-system/#sthash.m2u9pamJ.dpuf
7 Comments
by srmklive
It has to be considered by the PAF hierarchy. Such munitions system will make JF-17 even more potent figure in PAF’s arsenal.
by Shershahsuri
Good for Pakistan if the deal includes ToT.
by MT
Tot is hard to come until u ready to lose bill $
by saqrkh
Pakistan will probably just buy a bunch, maybe a large bunch.
by sinisterfalcon007
Save your polio workers first & then think of missiles, fighters etc after all caveman will remain a caveman.
by Matthys Jacobs
What would greatly improve the JF-17 is if it went with Denel’s latest Raptor 3 Stand Off Weapon and it’s Umbani Extended Range Precision Guided Glide Bomb as well as Denel’s HMD systems which are used in the EuroFighter and Gripen.
This would Give the JF-17 a cost effective alternative to the majority of countries that cannot afford Western Aircraft and do not want to operate a twin engine Mig-29 or SU-27.
by Matthys Jacobs
During the 90’s Denel (Formerly Kentron) tried to sell a number of BVR missiles to Pakistan but for reasons that escape me Pakistan declined joining development of various BVR air to air missiles.
However, I do recall Pakistan receiving assistance from Kentron regarding the Raptor and MUPSOW and R-Darter. How do I know? Well, I worked there during the 80’s and 90’s.
However, this joint development was cut short during various financial crisis in Asia in the late 90’s early 2000’s and also financial conditions in South Africa at the time which saw huge cuts to the defence spend and thus cancellations in Kentron and it’s eventual closure to be restructured as a subsidiary as Denel Dynamics.