BrahMos’ range widens arc of Sukhoi operations

Ajay Banerjee

New Delhi, October 5

Sukhoi 30MKI fighter jets of the Indian Air Force (IAF) now carry the BrahMos missile with an extended range, widening the arc of operations.

The range of the BrahMos has been extended to about 500 km, up from the previous 290 km.

Of the 265 Sukhoi jets in the IAF fleet, 42 jets have undergone structural, mechanical and software modifications at Hindustan Aeronautics Limited, allowing the 2.5-tonne missile to be carried in the underbelly of the jet.

Test-fired in jan

• The land-launched extended-range version of BrahMos was test-fired in January
• India joined the 34-nation Missile Technology Control Regime (MTCR) in June 2016
• Before India joined the MTCR, the Russian technology of the BrahMos was restricted as the MTCR limits the export of missile technology which can travel beyond 300 km

42 jets modified

• In all, 42 jets have undergone modifications, allowing the 2.5-tonne missile to be carried in the underbelly of Sukhoi
• Sukhoi jets fitted with the BrahMos missile are based at Thanjavur; can be used for sea strikes using the BrahMos missile
• The range of BrahMos extended to about 500 km, up from the previous 290 km

Tests of the extended range BrahMos in May validated the extended range of the missile. “Some of the missiles have now been modified and fitted onto Sukhoi,” said a senior functionary.

The extended-range capability of the missile with the Sukhoi’s 1,500-km flying radius (without mid-air refuelling) allows it to hit targets at sea and land in the Arabian Sea and the Bay of Bengal.

Sukhoi jets fitted with the BrahMos missile are based at Thanjavur in Tamil Nadu and are mandated for a maritime role guarding the sea lane of communication. In common parlance, the jets can be used for sea strikes using the BrahMos missile.

The land-launched extended-range version of BrahMos was test-fired in January.

The range of the BrahMos was extended, with India joining the 34-nation Missile Technology Control Regime (MTCR) in June 2016.

Before India joined the MTCR, the Russian technology of the BrahMos was restricted as the MTCR limits the export of missile technology which can travel beyond 300 km.

Besides Russia, the US and its NATO allies and countries such as Japan and Australia are part of the MTCR, which was set up in 1987.

Seeing the success of the integration of the BrahMos with the Sukhoi, the Indian Air Force is considering that more of these planes can be modified over the next few years.

The IAF is also looking to upgrade 84 of the Sukhoi jets with better weapons and sensors. Some of these could also be on the list to get the ability to carry BrahMos missile.