New Delhi: The Indian Air Force (IAF) on Tuesday conducted a firing test of the BrahMos cruise missile from the Sukhoi Su-30MKI aircraft from the Eastern Seaboard.
According to the IAF, the test ended in success as the missile precisely hit its target which was a decommissioned Indian Navy ship. “The mission was undertaken in close coordination with the Indian Navy”, the IAF said in a statement.
Today on the Eastern seaboard, #IAF undertook live firing of #BrahMos missile from a Su30 MkI aircraft.
The missile achieved a direct hit on the target, a decommissioned #IndianNavy ship.
The mission was undertaken in close coordination with @indiannavy. pic.twitter.com/UpCZ3vJkZb— Indian Air Force (@IAF_MCC) April 19, 2022
The latest test adds to the series of missiles fires the Indian army is conducting using the tactical ballistic BrahMos missile. Built under the joint venture between India and the Russian Federation, BrahMos was designed to accurately destroy its target within 300 kilometers range. India is currently eyeing to increase the missile’s capabilities by extending this range to 800 kilometers. In addition to its long range, BrahMos can reach speeds up to three times higher than sound (Mach 2.8-Mach 3). Meanwhile, the BrahMos-II Hypersonic cruise missile can be deployed to hit the target within a range of 450–600km at a Mach 7 velocity.
However, it was not until 2002 that India inducted the first Russian-made Su-30MKI variant into its IAF fleet. Two years later, in 2004, India indigenously assembled the first Su-30MKI.
Fully capable of launching a range of air-to-surface missiles, the Sukhoi Su-30MKI can easily carry heavy weaponry like BrahMos, which weighs 2.5 tonnes each. The aircraft is also equipped with a satellite navigation system which allows it to take flight irrespective of the weather and time of the day. With a range of 3,000 kilometers and 3.7-hour combat capability, the Sukhoi Su-30MKI also has in-flight refueling capacity and a radar cross-section (RCS) from 4 to 20 square meters.
(Vinayak)