Air-launch BrahMos to fly late this year

29 August 2013 by nayeem sheikh - Indian Defence Goal

The air-launched version of the Russian-Indian BrahMos supersonic cruise missile will have its first flight before the end of 2013, according to BrahMos Aerospace managing director A Sivathanu Pillai.

It will be carried by a SU-30MKI fighter that will conduct captive carry and drop tests before attempting the first powered test launch in mid-2014.

The basic surface- and submarine-launched missile has now completed 36 successful test flights, so the test programme for the new variant will be fast-paced. The system is due to enter Indian Air Force service in 2015.