'Direct hit': India successfully fires extended range version of Brahmos missile from Su-30 MKI
India Today
India successfully fired an extended range version of the BrahMos missile from Su-30 MKI fighter aircraft today. The missile achieved a direct hit on the designated target.
The Indian Air Force (IAF) on Thursday successfully fired an extended range version of the BrahMos missile from Su-30 MKI fighter aircraft. The launch from the aircraft was as planned and the missile achieved a direct hit on the designated target in the Bay of Bengal region.
This was the first launch of extended range version of BrahMos missile from Su-30 MKI aircraft. With this, the IAF has achieved the capability to carry out precision strikes from Su-30MKI aircraft against a land/ sea target over very long ranges.
The extended range capability of the missile coupled with the high performance of the Su-30 MKI aircraft gives the IAF a strategic reach and allows it to dominate the future battle fields.
BrahMos is capable of carrying a warhead of 300 kilograms (both conventional as well as nuclear) and has a top supersonic speed of Mach 2.8 to 3 (roughly three times the speed of sound).
The BrahMos missile was recently in the spotlight after one of them misfired due to a technical malfunction from an Indian Air Force unit during a Command Air Staff Inspection (CASI) there.
The missile landed in Pakistani territory, causing very little damage to property and equipment and no harm to people. Following the incident, India sent a letter to Pakistani authorities expressing its deep regret for the incident, as well as issuing a statement.
