Indian Air Force today successfully test fired Brahmos supersonic cruise missile from Sukhoi Su-30MKI fighter jet. The missile hit a sea-based target in the Bay of Bengal.
“The successful maiden test-firing of Brahmos Air Launched Cruise Missile (ALCM) from Su-30MKI will significantly bolster the IAF’s air combat operations capability from stand-off ranges,” the Ministry of Defence said in a statement.
Brahmos ALCM, which weighs 2.5 tonnes, is the heaviest weapon to be deployed on India’s Su-30 fighter aircraft. It has a range of 290 km.
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“Brahmos, the world class weapon with multi-platform, multi-mission role is now capable of being launched from land, sea and air, completing the tactical cruise missile triad for India,” the statement noted.
The land and sea variants of Brahmos are already operational with the Army and the Navy. Recently, the range variants were upgraded from 290 km to 450 km after India joined the Missile Technology Control Regime (MTCR).
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BrahMos is a joint venture between India and Russia and named after the Brahmaputra and Moscowa rivers.