Shot in the arm for India: BrahMos cruise missile successfully test-fired from Sukhoi jet

BrahMos missile test: This was the first time that the missile was successfully flight-tested from the Sukhoi-30 MKI fighter aircraft against a sea-based target

BrahMos missile successfully test fired at a sea-based target from a Sukhoi fighter jet

Brahmos supersonic cruise missile being successfully test-fired in the Bay of Bengal. (Source: PTI/ Representational photo)

The BrahMos supersonic cruise missile was successfully test fired from a Sukhoi-30MKI fighter jet from an unknown location on Wednesday. It is a historic achievement for India as this was the first time that the missile was successfully tested from the fighter aircraft against a sea-based target.

The missile, which has a flight range of 290 km, was dropped from Su-30MKI fighter jet and the two-stage missile immediately headed for its target at the Bay of Bengal. The success of the maiden test firing will significantly bolster the Indian Air Force’s combat capabilities from stand-off ranges. Read | BrahMos air launch completes India’s supersonic cruise missile triad: Five things you need to know

Watch video of the test-fire:

The Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman congratulated the DRDO and IAF on successfully test firing the BrahMos missile.

India creates a world record and completes Supersonic Cruise Missile Triad by successfully testing #BRAHMOS #ALCM from Indian Air Force Sukhoi-30MKI fighter aircraft. Smt @nsitharaman congratulates Team Brahmos & @DRDO_India for this historic achievement.

— Raksha Mantri (@DefenceMinIndia) November 22, 2017

The completion of tactical cruise missile triad will significantly bolster the IAF’s capabilities in long-range air combat operations. #BrahMos https://t.co/Eq0WVmgUMu pic.twitter.com/wapmG6WM2G

— Raksha Mantri (@DefenceMinIndia) November 22, 2017

Story continues below this ad

The development comes after India on November 7 successfully flight-tested its indigenous Nirbhay (the fearless) land-attack cruise missile, which can deliver nuclear warheads to a strike range of 1,000 km.

The BrahMos missile weighs 2.5 tons and is the heaviest weapon to be deployed on the Su-30MKI aircraft, modified by HAL, to carry weapons. 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 missile was developed in a joint venture between Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) and NPOM of Russia.

The missile operates on the ‘fire-and-forget’ principle and its destructive power is one of the best due to the production of large kinetic energy on impact. Cruise missiles are designed to fly at low-altitudes, almost hugging the terrain, to evade enemy radars and missile defence systems.

Among the ballistic missiles, which follow a parabolic trajectory, leaving and re-entering the earth’s atmosphere before hitting their targets, India has already inducted the Agni I (700 km), Agni II (2000 km) and the Agni III (300 km). The Prithvi II and Dhanush missiles have a range between 150 km and 300 km.

Stay updated with the latest - Click here to follow us on Instagram