BHUBANESWAR: The India Air Force (IAF) on Wednesday successfully test fired world’s fastest cruise missile BrahMos from its frontline fighter aircraft Sukhoi-30 MKI in air-to-ground configuration.
Defence sources said live launch of the supersonic missile’s air version was successful as the missile followed the desired trajectory before directly hitting the designated land target set at Andaman Nicobar Island.
“The deadliest missile after being gravity dropped from the fighter’s fuselage, flew for its full range towards the designated land target and hit it with precision,” confirmed an official who witnessed the test.
A joint venture of India and Russia, BrahMos having multi-mission role in all weather conditions is now capable of being launched from land, sea and air completing the tactical cruise missile triad for the country.
The Air Launched Cruise Missile (ALCM) is the heaviest weapon to equip the Indian fighter aircraft modified by Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) for carrying the weapon. It weighs around 2.5 tonne.
This was the second test of ALCM which will bolster the IAF’s air combat operation capability from stand-off ranges. After performing extremely complex manoeuvres, the missile had hit a ship-based target during its first test on November 22, 2017.
Designed and developed by BrahMos Aerospace Limited, the missile can carry warheads up to a distance of 300 km. IAF is the first in the world to have successfully fired an air launched surface attack missile that strikes at a speed of 2.8 Mach.
The successful mission was undertaken in presence of senior IAF officials along with top DRDO and BrahMos Aerospace scientists and engineers. The firing was successfully undertaken with dedicated support from Indian Navy by ensuring availability of a large number of monitoring ships to ensure range safety clearance.
Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, DRDO Chairman G Satheesh Reddy and Director General BrahMos Sudhir Mishra congratulated the IAF, DRDO and team BrahMos for yet another spectacular mission.
“The joint effort of agencies involved in the mission has validated its devastating capabilities with precision and given a boost to the long strike capability of IAF,” Mishra said.