New Delhi: The Indian Air Force (IAF) on Tuesday successfully tested a BrahMos supersonic cruise missile from a Sukhoi fighter jet on the Eastern seaboard.
In a tweet, the IAF said the "live firing" of the missile was carried out in close coordination with the Indian Navy from IAF's frontline fighter aircraft Su30 MkI. The missile hit the target with accuracy and precision, PTI quoted officials as saying.
"Today on the Eastern seaboard, IAF undertook live firing of BrahMos missile from a Su30 MkI aircraft. The missile achieved a direct hit on the target, a decommissioned Indian Navy ship. The mission was undertaken in close coordination with Indian Navy," the IAF tweeted.
A similar test was also carried out in December 2021, following which approval was granted for the serial production of air-version BrahMos missiles within the country.
On November 22, 2017, Brahmos was successfully flight-tested for the first time from the Sukhoi-30MKI.
The government had decided to integrate the air-launched variant of the Brahmos into over 40 Sukhoi fighter jets in 2016.
The aim was to enhance the IAF's capability to strike from large stand-off ranges on any target on sea or land, PTI reported.
On March 5, the Indian Navy successfully test-fired an advanced version of the Brahmos supersonic cruise missile from a stealth destroyer in the Indian Ocean. The missile was test-fired from the stealth destroyer INS Chennai.
BrahMos missiles are developed and produced by BrahMos Aerospace, a joint venture company set up by Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) and NPO Mashinostroyenia of Russia.
BrahMos Aerospace produces supersonic cruise missiles that can be launched from submarines, ships, aircraft, or land platforms.
BrahMos missile flies at a speed of 2.8 Mach, almost three times the speed of sound. The range of the advanced version of the missile is learnt to have been extended to around 350 km from the original 290 km.