Russia and India are developing a
new version of the BrahMos supersonic cruise missile that could be launched
from submarines and the Sukhoi T-50 PAK-FA fifth-generation stealth fighter.
The new variant—which is considerably smaller than the original
BrahMos—would be light enough to be carried even on relatively diminutive
Mikoyan MiG-35 Fulcrum-F.
“We are working on the missile’s
light version. It should fit the size of a torpedo tube and be almost 1.5 times
smaller by its weight. It will be possible to mount our airborne missile on a
wide range [of aircraft],” Alexander Leonov, CEO and general designer of NPO
Mashinostroyenia told the Moscow-based
TASS news agency. “Of course, we’ll be developing it, first of all, for the
fifth-generation plane but, possibly, it will be mounted on the MiG-35 fighter,
although we have not carried out such developments.”
The original BrahMos was a Russian-Indian joint development
version of the P-800 Oniks anti-ship cruise missile. The original weapon—though
capable of speeds nearing Mach 3.0 at ranges of roughly 186 miles—is enormous
with a weight of roughly 5,000lbs for the air-launched version. Thus, only the
largest fighters such as the Sukhoi Su-30MKI are able to carry it aloft.
The new version of the BrahMos will be smaller and with roughly
the same range, but it will be faster at roughly Mach 3.5. That means that
larger combat aircraft like the Su-30MKI would be able to carry three rather
than just one of the new weapon during a sortie. Even an aircraft like the
MiG-35 might be able to carry more than one weapon at a time potentially.
With India joining the voluntary Missile Technology Control Regime
treaty, Moscow and New Delhi have stepped up cooperation on development on future extended range version of the
BrahMos—with ranges close to 400 miles. The extended range weapons would enable
the Indians to strike at targets deep inside Pakistan with near impunity once
the weapon is operational.
Source :- National Interest
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