As India celebrates Republic Day on January 26, it is likely that both countries will soon have a combination of Rafale, Sukhoi-30 and BrahMos supersonic cruise missiles in their inventory.
The Philippines has purchased the BrahMos land-based supersonic cruise missile, but other Southeast Asian countries are likely to opt for air-launched versions as well.
Two IAFs, the Indian Air Force and the Indonesian Air Force, may soon field the French Rafale, the Sukhoi Su-30 “Flanker” and the Brahmos supersonic cruise missile, an improved version of the anti-ship missile developed during the Soviet era. is high. Reutov Design Bureau in the late 1980s.
Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto will be the guest of honor at India’s Republic Day parade, and the BrahMos missile deal is likely to be announced during his visit. This is the second export order for BrahMos missiles.
The Indonesian Air Force flies the Flanker and has expressed interest in the air-launched BrahMos. The Indian Air Force has already operationalized the BrahMos-equipped Su-30MKI. These BrahMos-equipped aircraft were deployed from their home base of Thanjavur to the northern regions of India during the peak of the conflict with China.
India’s move to deploy BrahMos along the India-China border triggered a fierce reaction from Beijing. The People’s Liberation Army Daily, the official newspaper of the People’s Liberation Army, said, “India’s deployment of supersonic missiles on its borders goes beyond the need for its own self-defense and poses a serious threat to China’s Tibet and Yunnan provinces.” It’s bringing that,” he said.
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The IAF has modified 40 Sukhois to provide an aviation version of the BrahMos. The BrahMos missile is the heaviest weapon installed on the Su-30MKI.
This integration has improved the IAF’s ability to attack any target at sea or on land from a wide range of ranges. Integration of the BrahMos Air-Launched Cruise Missile (ALCM) will significantly increase the IAF’s ability to strike heavily defended targets deep into enemy territory up to a range of 2,100 km (3,900 km with refueling equipment) .
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Even if the BrahMos is launched from a Su-30 MKI that remains within India’s borders, a wide attack range of 290km is now available. The BrahMos supersonic cruise missile, developed under a joint venture between India and Russia, had an initial range of 290 kilometers. In 2023, the IAF successfully tested the long-range cruise missile ‘BrahMos’ with a range of 450 km on board the Sukhoi-30 MKI fighter jet.
It is this improved capability that Indonesia needs to counter an aggressive China in the South China Sea.
In January 2024, the Indonesian government officially completed the third and final phase of its plan to purchase 42 Rafale fighter jets. The Rafale acquisition was critical to the country’s broader air force modernization strategy. With the procurement of the Rafales, Indonesia has become Southeast Asia’s largest buyer of French arms.
The Indonesian Air Force was keen to purchase Mirage 2000-5 fighter jets to fill a capability gap. However, financial constraints forced us to choose an alternative strategy. Instead of acquiring Mirage jets, the focus shifted to modifying existing Sukhoi and F-16 aircraft to maintain operational capability until the arrival of the Rafale jet fighters two years later.
If India can help Indonesia modernize its Sukhoi fighter jets and integrate the BrahMos ALCM into the aircraft, it will increase its firepower. And all at a much cheaper price.
India is likely to offer Indonesia a loan from the State Bank of India or another State Bank of India. The Export-Import Bank was originally scheduled to handle the loan, but that did not materialize.
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Brahmastra (celestial weapon) that makes Sukhoi-30 deadly
Referred to as India’s ‘Brahmastra’ or heavenly weapon, Brahmos is part of India’s nuclear triad that enables India to strike back after being attacked by nuclear weapons. It is one of the world’s fastest supersonic cruise missiles and can be launched from submarines, ships, aircraft, and land platforms.
After the 2019 Balakot attack, the Indian government decided to expedite the integration of the BrahMos missile with the Sukhoi.
The Indian government was of the view that Rafale aircraft with Meteor visual range air-to-air missiles, S-400 long-range surface-to-air missiles, and Sukhoi’s BrahMos integration would give India an advantage. Beyond the enemy.
Integration of the missile into the Sukhoi was a complex process requiring mechanical, electrical, and software changes to the fighter aircraft. Interestingly, Russia is said to have demanded Rs 1,300 billion for missile integration, but the Indian company got it done for Rs 800 billion.
On November 22, 2017, a Su-30 MKI took off from Kalaikunda, West Bengal, carrying a 2.5-ton BrahMos missile for test firing at targets in the Bay of Bengal. In exemplary style, the missile hit targets at sea 260 kilometers away with great precision and perfection.
RK Tyagi, former HAL Chairmanwrote: “The modification of the Su-30 MKI to integrate BrahMos included a safe isolation analysis consisting of wind tunnel and CFD (Computational Fluid Dynamics) analysis. The aircraft’s waterproof NMG (Numerical Master Geometry) was developed in 2D drawings. The structural changes had to be made within the center of gravity (CG) envelope of the aircraft and in a way that did not change the vibration characteristics.”
This integration will ultimately pave the way for the development of an upgraded Su-30 (Super Su-30) with a more powerful structure, better avionics and radar, and more effective combat capabilities. It will be opened.
Ritu Sharma has been writing about defense and foreign affairs for nearly 17 years. She holds a master’s degree in conflict studies and peace management from the University of Erfurt, Germany. Her areas of interest include the Asia-Pacific, the South China Sea, and aviation history. Contact her at ritu.sharma (at) mail.com.
