New Delhi: India is planning to deploy its
290km range supersonic BrahMos cruise missile on the Fifth
Generation Fighter Aircraft (FGFA) being developed with
Russia.
"If we are able to reduce the weight of the missile below
two tonnes, we can deploy it on the FGFA and we are looking to
do that in future," BrahMos Aerospace chief A Sivathanu Pillai
said here.
FGFA is joint venture aircraft development programme
between India and Russia under which India will induct 250-300
of these advanced planes.
The missile is already being developed for deployment on
Su-30MKIs of the Indian Air Force.
Asked if the missile could be put on other aircraft such
as the LCA or the proposed Medium-Multirole Combat Aircraft
(M-MRCA), Pillai said it would not be possible for the LCA as
it was a small aircraft.
Asked if there was any plan to export the missile,
the BrahMos chief said "many countries in the world have shown
interest in the missile and a Supervisory Council comprising
Indian and Russian officials has given clearance for exporting
it to friendly countries."
He said the three Services have extended their support
for the missile export but only after fulfilling their
requirements.
Pillai said the three Services have placed orders worth
USD four billion with BrahMos including the orders for the
land version of cruise missile by the Indian Air Force.
The BrahMos chief denied there were disputes between
India and Russia over the modifications being carried out in
the Su-30MKIs being upgraded to fire-from-the-air version of
the missile.
"The trials of launching BrahMos cruise missile from air
will begin in 2012 and there will be no delay in the programme
due to this," he added.
PTI
First Published: Saturday, March 12, 2011, 19:42