New Delhi: The Indian Air Force achieved a significant capability boost to carry out precision strikes from SU-30MKI aircraft against land or sea targets over very long ranges on December 29. The successful test-firing of the extended range version of BRAHMOS air launched missile against a ship target from a SU-30MKI aircraft achieved the desired mission objectives in the Bay of Bengal region.
“The Indian Air Force today successfully fired the extended range version of BRAHMOS air launched missile against a ship target from a SU-30MKI aircraft,” according to a statement issued by the Press Information Bureau. With this, IAF has achieved a “significant capability boost” to carry out precision strikes from SU-30MKI aircraft against land or sea targets over very long ranges, it said.
“The extended range capability of the missile coupled with the high performance of the SU-30MKI aircraft gives the IAF a strategic reach and allows it to dominate the future battle fields,” the government said. The dedicated and synergetic efforts of IAF, Indian Navy, Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), BAPL and HAL have been instrumental in achieving this feat, the statement said.
The Indian Air Force on Thursday, December 29 successfully fired the extended range version of the BRAHMOS Air Launch missile. “Carrying out a precision strike against a Ship target from a Su-30 MKI aircraft in the Bay of Bengal region, the missile achieved the desired mission objectives,” the IAF tweeted.
BrahMos Aerospace is an Indo-Russian joint venture which produces supersonic cruise missiles. The missiles can be launched from submarines, ships, aircraft or land platforms. A BRAHMOS missile travels at a speed of 2.8 Mach or almost thrice the speed of sound.
On November 30, the Indian Army had tested a BRAHMOS supersonic cruise missile from the Andaman and Nicobar Islands. The Western Command of the Army had test fired the extended range version of the missile. The test firing of BRAHMOS missile comes days after India successfully test-fired nuclear capable ballistic missile Agni V from the APJ Abdul Kamal Island off Odisha coast. The Agni V can strike targets at ranges up to 5,000 kilometres.
