Nashik: For the first time, Su-30 fighter jets of Indian Airforce was today flown with supersonic BrahMos missile.
The demonstration flight, carried out at the Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd (HAL) here, involved carriage of Brahmos missile on the Su-30MKI fighter -- a major advance towards trials for launching missiles from the air.
BrahMos Aerospace is a joint venture between the India's Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) and Russia's Federal State Unitary Enterprise NPO Mashinostroyenia (NPOM) of Russia.
It has been developing a nuclear-capable short-range supersonic cruise missile that can be launched from submarines, ships, aircraft or land.
This is the first time the Brahmos missile was "married" to a fighter jet.
According to sources, the modification to the fighter includes hardened electronic circuitry to shield it from the electromagnetic pulse of a nuclear blast.
The missile was also modified carrying a reduced booster and fins for stability.
"With today's successful flight, the BrahMos air version programme now inches closer towards actual test firing when a 2.5-ton Brahmos air-to-ground missile will be fired from the Sukhoi-30 in the coming months," a BrahMos official said.
(With IANS)
