Article Posted on : - Apr 20, 2022

Photo: IAF Twitter.

NEW DELHI (PTI): In demonstrating its operational preparedness, the Indian Air Force (IAF) on Tuesday successfully test-fired a BRAHMOS supersonic cruise missile from a Sukhoi fighter aircraft on the Eastern seaboard.

The "live firing" of the missile was carried out in close coordination with the Indian Navy, the IAF said.

The missile hit the target with accuracy and precision, officials said.

"Today on the Eastern seaboard, #IAF undertook live firing of #BrahMos missile from a Su30 MkI aircraft. The missile achieved a direct hit on the target, a decommissioned #IndianNavy ship. The mission was undertaken in close coordination with @indiannavy," the IAF said in a tweet.

In 2016, the government had decided to integrate the air-launched variant of the BRAHMOS into over 40 Sukhoi fighter jets.

The project was conceived to enhance the IAF's capability to strike from large stand-off ranges on any target on sea or land.

On March 5, the Indian Navy successfully test-fired an advanced version of the BRAHMOS supersonic cruise missile from a stealth destroyer in the Indian Ocean.

The missile was test-fired from the stealth destroyer INS Chennai.

BrahMos Aerospace, an India-Russian joint venture, produces supersonic cruise missiles that can be launched from submarines, ships, aircraft, or land platforms.

BRAHMOS missile flies at a speed of 2.8 Mach or almost three times the speed of sound.

The range of the advanced version of the missile is learnt to have been extended to around 350 km from the original 290 km.