India tests extended-range BrahMos missile from Su-30 fighter jets
The Ministry of Defence in an official statement announced that the launch of the aircraft went as planned, and the missile scored a direct hit on the intended target in the Bay of Bengal region.
Nation First News: India successfully fired the extended-range version of the BrahMos Air Launched missile from Su-30 MKI fighter jets on May 12, 2022.
The Ministry of Defence in an official statement announced that the launch of the aircraft went as planned, and the missile scored a direct hit on the intended target in the Bay of Bengal region.
“It was the first launch of the extended range version of the BrahMos missile from a Su-30MKI aircraft. With this, the IAF has achieved the capability to carry out precision strikes from Su-30MKI aircraft against a land/sea target over very long ranges,” the air force said, announcing the launch.
The extended range capability of the missile, coupled with the high performance of the Su-30MKI aircraft, gives the IAF “strategic reach” and allows it to “dominate the future battlefields”, the IAF added.
The Extended Range version of Brahmos air launched missile was successfully fired from a Su-30 MkI aircraft today.
The successful firing was the first ever for the air launched version from a Su-30 MkI & the missile met all the laid down parameters while hitting the target. pic.twitter.com/WZk8zZkWKX
— Indian Air Force (@IAF_MCC) May 12, 2022
The BrahMos supersonic cruise missile has been extended to over 350 km from the original 290 km. BrahMos missile achieved a flying speed of 2.8 Mach during the test which is almost three times the speed of sound.
Earlier, the Indian Air Force had successfully test-fired a BrahMos supersonic cruise missile from a Sukhoi fighter jet on the Eastern seaboard. Also an anti-ship version of the BrahMos supersonic cruise missile was successfully test-fired by the Indian Navy in association with the Andaman and Nicobar Command on April 27. According to IAF, the missile had directly hit a decommissioned Indian Navy Ship.
India has also started exporting the BrahMos missiles. In January, India signed a $375 million deal with the Philippines for supplying three batteries for the missile.