Dangerous New Cruise Missiles for India’s Su-30MKI: Air Force Operationalises Air Launched BrahMos Missile

The joint Indian-Russian BrahMos cruise missile program has reached a major milestone, with the Indian Air Force inducting its first BrahMos cruise missile into active service. While naval and ground launched variants of the BrahMos were previously deployed, a new air launched variant was developed for launch by the country’s most capable and heaviest fighter jets - the Su-30MKI. Over 40 Su-30MKI fighters are set to be equipped with BrahMos cruise missiles, which has fuelled calls to expand the fleet to ensure enough fighters are available for other roles such as contesting air superiority. The BrahMos' induction follows a prolific test of the system in May 2019, ongoing tensions with Islamabad over the Kashmiri territorial dispute, and the outbreak of a brief period of hostilities with Pakistan three months prior.

The BrahMos is cable of reaching speeds of Mach 3 and benefits from an advanced precision guidance system allowing it to engage mobile targets. The missile is reported to have torn warships in half upon impact with its sheer speed, which combined with its long range and considerable payload makes it a very potent threat to enemy warships. The missile’s speed and manoeuvrability make it extremely difficult to intercept even for advanced air defence systems such as the AEGIS and HHQ-16 - the latter deployed by Pakistan’s upcoming Type 054AP Class frigates. The platform is also prized for its ability to carry out precision strikes with little warning, and deploying the BrahMos from aircraft as long ranged and as survivable and the Su-30MKI allows India’s armed forces to threaten targets further away from its borders - either at sea or on land. The BrahMos will provide India with its most capable air launched cruise missile to date, with over triple the speed and a far longer range than older designs such as the French Scalp missile deployed by Indian Rafale fighters.