The first launch of the BrahMos supersonic cruise missile from a Sukhoi Su-30MKI fighter will be carried out in early 2016, head of Russian-Indian BrahMos Aerospace enterprise Sudhir Mishra told RIA Novosti Tuesday.

Speaking at the International Aviation and Space Salon MAKS air show outside Moscow, Mishra told RIA Novosti that first flights with a launcher went well and expected the fighter's first flight with an operational missile to take place by the end of this year.

"After this, a test launch of a mock missile will be carried out, and then final testing with a regular missile from a plane. We hope that this will take place in the beginning of 2016," Mishra said.

The BrahMos chief executive said the supersonic missile's integration with the Su-30MKI (NATO reporting name Flanker-H) multirole fighter would supply India with a long-range weapon without endangering the aircraft.

"After all, the Su-30 can fly with aerial refueling a distance of about 3,000 kilometers [over 1,800 miles], and the BrahMos' long range allows to be launched from a safe distance," Mishra stressed. The missile's flight range is 180 miles.

The estimated $425-million supersonic missiles capable of flying at supersonic speeds of up to Mach 3 (over 2,200 mph) are expected to be fitted in three Talwar-class frigates and three Delhi-class destroyers, all built in collaboration with Russia.

Source: Sputnik News