Explained: How India's latest BrahMos missile test was different

It’s another feather in the cap for the Indian Armed Forces.On Thursday, India successfully test-fired an extended-range version of the BrahMos Air Launched missile from a Su-30 MKI fighter aircraft.As per reports, the Sukhoi from the “Tiger Sharks” squadron took off from the Thanjavur airbase in Tamil Nadu, underwent mid-air refuelling and then fired the missile at the “designated target” in the Bay of Bengal.According to a statement by the Indian Air Force, the test firing from the aircraft went as planned and it also achieved a direct hit on the designated target located in the Bay of Bengal region.We take a look at why this is a ‘game changer’ for India.The new BrahMos missileWhile the BrahMos missile is not new weaponry for India, this particular trial was special for the nation as it was testing the extended range (ER) version of the missile.For the uninitiated, BrahMos Aerospace, an India-Russian joint venture, produces supersonic cruise missiles that can be launched from submarines, ships, aircraft, or land platforms. BrahMos missile flies at a speed of 2.8 Mach or almost three times the speed of sound. The range of the BrahMos missile is said to be 290 kilometre.The first test of the initial version was carried out in 2017.However, on Thursday, the IAF test-fired the newer version, which has a range of over 350 km, compared to the 290-km range of the previous variety.The Swarajya reported that India had conducted at least 10 BrahMos supersonic cruise missile tests this year, starting with the test-firing of an advanced sea-to-sea variant of the missile from INS Visakhapatnam on 11 January.Why is this such a big deal?Defence experts have noted that the extended range and the high performance of the Su-30MKI aircraft, gives the IAF a “strategic reach”.The IAF, in fact, in its statement, said, “The extended range capability of the missile coupled with the high performance of the Sukhoi-30MKI aircraft gives the IAF a strategic reach and allows it to dominate the future battlefields.”Explaining how this will be beneficial to India’s defence capabilities, an expert told Times of India, “This is the first time the new BrahMos missile with a strike range of over 450 km (original range 290 km) has been tested from the air. The Sukhoi, with a combat radius of almost 1,500-km without mid-air refueling, combined with the 450-km range BrahMos missile is a formidable weapons package.”This will come in handy at a time when India is facing the double threat of China and Pakistan.With inputs from agenciesRead all the Latest News, Trending News, Cricket News, Bollywood News,India News and Entertainment News here. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.