HAL hands over BrahMos missile integrated Su-30 to IAF

BENGALURU: HAL today handed over the first supersonic cruise missile BrahMos integrated Su-30 fighters to the Indian Air Force, making the aircraft a "very lethal" weapon delivery platform.

"Su-30 has become a very lethal weapon delivery platform with the successful integration of Brahmos supersonic cruise missile," HAL Chairman T Suvarna Raju told reporters.

HAL has completed Brahmos integration with all the analysis being done by its internal design team, Raju said before the handing over at "Aero India 2015" air show, now on at the IAF air base at Yelahanka on the city outskirts.

Raju said HAL has provided a cost effective indigenous solution to BAPL ( BrahMos Aerospace Private Limited).

"This is a proud moment for HAL.The successful completion of the first Su-30 aircraft integrated with BrahMos missile shows the synergy between DRDO, HAL and IAF. We are hopeful of rolling out the second aircraft in a record time", he said at the event.

The Flight Clearance Certificate was handed over by Dr K Tamilmani,Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) Director General (Aeronautics), to Air Marshal S B P Sinha, Deputy Chief of Air Staff. The Aircraft Acceptance Certificate was handed over by A M Raja Kannu, DG, (Aeronautical Quality Assurance) to Air Marshal Sukhchain Singh.

HAL said it took up the programme as "an indigenous challenge" at its Nasik division in 2010 and overcame several difficulties due to limited design data of Su-30 MKI. It received approval in January 2011 and order for integration was obtained from BAPL in January 2014.

BrahMos missile, an India-Russia joint venture, is a two-stage supersonic cruise missile with a 290-km range for destroying high value and strategic installation.

Speaking to reporters earlier, Raju also said HAL had handed over last month the first overhauled Su-30 MKI aircraft to IAF from its newly set up Nashik facility made with an investment of over Rs 2,000 crore.

With this facility, HAL has developed capacities and capabilities to support Su-30 fleet for next 30 to 40 years, Raju said. This is only one of its kind facility in the world and has significant export prospect since nearly 10 countries operate Su-30 fleet, he added.