Article Posted on : - Jun 06, 2017

Su-30MKI aircraft during a flight-trial with BRAHMOS missile. A file photo.

NEW DELHI (TASS-DEFENCE): The Indian Air Force's Su-30MKI aircraft enables effective employment of the BRAHMOS missile along with ASM, AAM and other weapons, according to the Indian military department representative, as reported by TASS, Russia's Defence Technologies Newswire.

"The carrying capacity of the Su-30MKI enables carriage of other significant weapons with a BRAHMOS air-launched missile mounted on an underfuselage hardpoint. This became possible owing to Sukhoi's proposed aircraft loading options that provides the required CG position," the Indian representative said to TASS Russian news agency.

According to him, when the BRAHMOS missile is mounted under the fuselage, the Su-30MKI is able to carry both air-to-surface strike weapons (Kh-31A anti-ship missiles, Kh-31P anti-radar missiles and others) and air-to-air missiles (RVV-AE, R-73 and other missiles) on its underwing hardpoints.

In the event if the flight mission for the Su-30MKI with the BRAHMOS missile is changed for any reason and the launch of the missile do not take place, the aircraft is able to land with one BRAHMOS missile under the fuselage within the permitted landing weight.

The Indian side has modernised two Su-30MKIs to conduct flight tests of the Su-30MKI-BRAHMOS air strike complex, with the amount of fuel in the internal tanks of the aircraft remaining unchanged after modernisation.

The radius of action and the service range of the aircraft with the BRAHMOS missile will be determined by the Indian side during testing, the Indian military officer noted, as per the news media report.