Article Posted on : - Dec 24, 2012

NEW DELHI (PTI): Ahead of the visit of President Vladimir Putin, India and Russia have signed a deal for working together to develop the air-launched version of the 290-km-range BRAHMOS supersonic cruise missile system, which would be fitted on the Su-30MKI combat aircraft of the Indian Air Force (IAF).

An agreement was signed between BrahMos Aerospace, Russian Rosoboronexport and Sukhoi Design Bureau for developing the air-launched version of the missile in New Delhi on Friday, Defence Ministry officials said.

The two sides have been holding negotiations for the joint development for quite some time now and are now hopeful that the first test of the missile would be done within next six months, the officials said.

Recently, the Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) had cleared an IAF proposal worth over Rs 6,000 crore to buy BRAHMOS missiles for their integration with the Russian-origin Su-30MKIs.

As per plans, the first test of the air-launched version of the supersonic cruise missile, developed jointly by India and Russia, is to be conducted by the middle of 2013.

Two Su-30MKI fighters of the IAF would also be modified by Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) at its Nashik facility where the planes will be integrated with the aerial launcher developed by BrahMos Aerospace, they said.

BRAHMOS missiles integrated on the Su-30s will help the IAF achieve the capability to deliver a deadly blow to enemy formations from stand-off ranges of around 300 km without getting close to them.