The air-launched version of the BrahMos supersonic cruise missile was successfully test-fired from a Su-30MKI fighter jet on Wednesday clearing it for serial production.
“The launch is a major milestone in the BrahMos development. It clears the system for the serial production of air-version BrahMos missiles within the country,” a Defence Ministry statement said. “During the test, the structural integrity and functional performance have been proven.”
The test was conducted at 1030 hrs from Integrated Test Range, Chandipur, off the coast of Odisha. In this copy book flight, the missile launched from the aircraft followed the pre-planned trajectory meeting all mission objectives, the Ministry said.
The air version of BrahMos was last flight tested in July, 2021. The 2.5-tonne air launched missile has a range of 300 km and a maximum speed of 2.8 mach.
Major airframe assemblies which form the integral part of the Ramjet Engine are indigenously developed by the Indian industry, the statement said. These include non-metallic air frame sections comprising Ramjet fuel tank and pneumatic fuel supply system, it said.
In January 2020, the IAF commissioned the 222 “Tiger Sharks” squadron consisting of modified Sukhoi Su-30 MKI fighter jets in Thanjavur armed with the missiles. This significantly enhances the offensive strike range of the armed forces.
The land and sea variants of the missile are already operationally deployed by the Army and the Navy. BrahMos was jointly developed by India and Russia.
