BrahMos missile successfully test fired from Sukhoi fighter jet for first time

Bhubaneswar/New Delhi: India on Wednesday successfully test fired BrahMos, the world’s fastest supersonic cruise missile, from a Sukhoi-30 MKI, the Indian Air Force’s (IAF) frontline fighter jet, against a sea-based target in Bay of Bengal.

The successful maiden test firing of BrahMos Air Launched Cruise Missile (ALCM) from Su-30MKI will bolster the IAF’s air combat capability from stand-off ranges (safe distances). BrahMos ALCM, weighing 2.5 tonnes, is the heaviest missile to be deployed so far on Su-30 fighter aircraft.

To carry the missile, the jet was specifically modified by Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd. (HAL). BrahMos, a world-class weapon with multi-platform, multi-mission role, which is now capable of being launched from land, sea and air, thereby completing the tactical cruise missile triad for India.

The missile was gravity dropped from the fighter jet’s fuselage, and the two stage missile’s engine fired up and propelled towards the intended target at the sea in Bay of Bengal at supersonic speed.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed delight over the successful maiden test flight of BrahMos cruise missile from an Air Force jet. “Delighted on the successful maiden test firing of Brahmos air-launched cruise missile from Su-30MKI. Congratulations to all those associated with this remarkable feat,” he tweeted.

BrahMos missile has a strike range of around 290 km and a BrahMos-armed Su-30 MKI can fly up to 1,500 km in the direction of a hostile target. After firing the missile, the fighter jet would fly away, while the air-launched BrahMos would use its own seeker to home in on the target.

Given its speed of Mach 2.8 (2.8 times the speed of sound), it is extremely difficult intercept the BrahMos missile by surface-to-air missiles deployed on leading warships around the world.

So far three Su-30 MKI jets have been modified to carry BrahMos. In all HAL will modify at least 50 Su-30 MKI aircraft to carry the nuclear-capable cruise missiles. The IAF plans to induct at least 200 BrahMos-compatible fighter jets in the coming years.

Variants of BrahMos missiles have been in use in the Army and the Navy since 2007. Union defence minister Nirmala Sitharaman congratulated DRDO on its achievement.

“Dr S. Christopher, chairperson, DRDO and secretary, department of defence R&D congratulated the scientists and engineers for this excellent text book kind of flight test,” an official communication said.

Wednesday’s missile test was witnessed by Dr Sudhir Mishra, director general (BrahMos), and CEO & MD, BrahMos Aerospace along with senior IAF officials, DRDO and BrahMos scientists.

BrahMos missile is a joint venture between Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) of India and NPOM of Russia. The missile gets its name from India’s Brahmaputra river and Russia’s Moskwa river.