BrahMos-A missile to be test-launched from Su-30MKI aircraft in two-three months

: Posted On Monday, 13 February 2017 10:46

Naval Defense Industry News - India, Russia

BrahMos-A missile to be test-launched from Su-30MKI aircraft in two-three months

Routine launches of airborne BRAHMOS-A missiles from Su-30MKI fighter jets are scheduled to be held in two-three months, CEO of the Russian-Indian BrahMos Aerospace Joint Venture Sudhir Kumar Mishra told reporters in the headquarters of the company.

Artist impression: Brahmos missile air launched variant with Su-30MKI

"Routine launches of real missiles BRAHMOS-A are planned to be held in 2-3 months. At present tests are underway to drop decoys of the missiles from two Su-30MKI fighters of the Indian Air Force," he said.

"Last December the BRAHMOS decoy was dropped for the first time in flight. In March we plan three more such tests," he added.

Mishra explained it will be then necessary to hold two routine launches of BRAHMOS-A from the fighter jet in which Russian and Indian experts will participate. One missile with a dummy warhead will be fired at a moving target and the second one - at a stationary ground target.

"After that the Indian Air Force will decide whether to make the missile operational," he said.

Mishra said only two fighter jets have been adjusted to carry BRAHMOS-A missiles. According to previously announced plans, the Air Force of India plans to modify 40 aircraft as BRAHMOS-A carriers but no contract for the work has been signed so far.

"Our task is to create long-range weapons for Su-30MKI. We are successfully coping with the mission by the BRAHMOS program and we do not hurry. The contract to adjust Su-30MKI fighter jets of the Indian Air Force for BRAHMOS-A missiles will be signed with Hindustan Aeronautics Limited, HAL Corporation which is in charge of the BRAHMOS platform," Mishra said.

Military experts say the implementation of the BRAHMOS-A project and integration of the missile with Su-30MKI of the Indian Air Force will increase combat efficiency of the fighter jets which will engage the Russian-Indian missiles against sea and stationary ground targets and attack with high-precision weapons air-protected targets, in particular, aircraft carrying groups of warships.

Su-30MKI armed with BRAHMOS-A will enjoy a unique combination of the range (3000 kilometers or 5200 kilometers with one air refueling) and combat load of 8 tons. The aircraft can take off and what is more important land with an 8-meter long missile weighing 2.5 tons.

Modern arms control system will allow to destroy air, water and ground targets with high-precision weapons in one sortie.

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Comments by Navy Recognition:

The Brahmos missile comes in four variants:
- Ship launched
- Submarine launched
- Land launched
- Air launched

The Indian Air Force is going to field the BrahMos with three air regiments operating Su-30MKI fighters. Making the type accommodate the missile has necessitated modifications to its design, particularly, a redistribution of primary structure loading. To facilitate the integration, the weight of the weapon has been slashed by 500 kg and its length by almost 50 cm.

The BrahMos measures 9 m in length and 70 cm in diameter and carries a 300-kg warhead to a maximum range of 290 km at a velocity of 2.8 Mach (i.e. 2.8 times faster than sonic speed). The missile has entered service with the Indian Army and Navy. The first test of a version designed for submarine launch took place in March 2014.

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