Indian Air Force to equip 40 Su-30MKI fighters with BrahMos missiles
23 Apr 2010
Kuala Lumpur: The Indian Air Force will arm 40 Su-30MKI Flanker-H fighters with BrahMos missiles, the head of BrahMos Aerospace, Dr Sivathanu Pillai has said. This would make India's fleet of Russian-built fighters "absolutely unique" in firepower, he added.
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According to Dr Pillai, the first tests of BrahMos air-launched missiles were scheduled for 2011, while the first fighter test flights with missiles on board would take place only in late 2012.
The IAF's fleet of Su-30MKI aircraft is also due for a massive upgrade programme to be carried out by the Irkut Corporation. Corporation vice-president Vladimir Sautov mentioned in February this year that the modernization program ''...includes re-equipping of some 100 Su-30MKI fighters, which are currently in service with the Indian Air Force."
"It is being carried out by the Rosoboronexport, the Sukhoi Design Bureau and NPO Mashinostroyeniya. If things go well, we may offer modernized Su-30MKI fighters to our other foreign partners as soon as 2012," he added.
NPO Mashinostroyeniya is the parent firm for the BrahMos programme from whose original design the current BrahMos missile is derived.