IAF carries out successful firing of longer range air-launched BrahMos cruise missile

NEW DELHI: In a major success for the indigenous weapon systems, the Indian Air Force (IAF) has carried out a successful restoration of the air-launched version of the BrahMos supersonic cruise missile in the Bay of Bengal.

The BrahMos air-launched version missile was testfired from a Su-30MKI fighter jet which has the capability to launch the BrahMos cruise missiles that can hit enemy targets at long ranges.

"The BrahMos air-launched missile was fired from a Su-30MKI fighter jet in the last few days. The aircraft had taken off with the missile from an air base in the southern peninsula and travelled over 1,500 Km to successfully strike a target from a longer range than before," defence officials told ANI.

The missile was the longer-range version of the supersonic weapon system which has been one of the unique weapons possessed by India in partnership with the Russian industry.

India has been working towards developing a very long-range version of the air-launched BrahMos cruise missiles which would be able to hit The Indian Air Force had recently carried out two trials of the land attack missile system and the results were very good as missiles hit bull's eye in the user trials, the sources said.

India is also exporting the missiles to friendly foreign countries including the Philippines which would be using them in the coastal battery role. The BrahMos Aerospace corporation is also looking at exporting the missiles to more countries and helping achieve the export targets set by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.