In a first, air-launched Brah Mos Missile

Multi-platform, Multi-mission supersonic cruise projectile is now capable of being blasted off from land, sea, and air

The BrahMos missile in flight.

In a first, India on Wednesday successfully test-fired the air-launched version of the BrahMos supersonic cruise missile from an IAF Su-30MKI aircraft.

BrahMos, which is Multiplatform, multi-mission missile, is now capable of being launched from land, sea, and air and completes the tactical cruise missile triad.

"The air-launched BrahMos missile is a 2.5-ton supersonic air-to-surface cruise missile with ranges of more than 400Km. The IAF is the first Air Force in the world to have successfully fired an air-launched 2.8 Mach surface attack missile of this category," the IAF said.

Heaviest weapon

BrahMos weighing 2.5 ton is the heaviest weapon to be deployed on the Su-30 fighter aircraft which was modified by the Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) to carry the weapon.

"This success not only bolsters the combat effectiveness of IAF but also demonstrates the capability if indigenous onboard avionics with an innovative algorithm developed by  DRDO," said Dr.G. Satheesh Reddy, Scientific Advisor to Defence Minister and Director General, missiles, and Strategic  Systems. 

The integration of the missile on the aircraft was a complex process involving mechanical, electrical and software modifications on the aircraft. In fact, the test launch had been delayed by complexities in the integration. The software development of the aircraft was undertaken by the IAf engineers. "One of the major challenges overcome by the scientist Centre Imarat, DRDO in the missile development was optimisation of transfer alignment of the inertial sensor of the missile," the IAF said.

Original range

The land and sea variants of BrahMos are already operational with the Army and the Navy. The original range was 290km in line with the limitations of the Missile Technology Control Regime After India joined the grouping in June 2016, the range was extended to 450km and would be further extended to 600km.