India is preparing the largest enhancement of the strike capabilities of its Su-30MKI fighters: after the integration of the new supersonic cruise missile BrahMos-NG, the aircraft will be able to carry up to five such munitions instead of one.
The key difference of BrahMos-NG will be its significantly lower mass. While the current BrahMos-A air-launched missile weighs about 2.5 tons and requires placement on the central hardpoint, the new version will weigh approximately 1.2 tons. This will significantly change the armament scheme of the heavy fighter.
It is assumed that one missile will be placed under the fuselage, and the others on reinforced inner wing pylons using special launch devices. At the same time, the outer hardpoints, as before, will be reserved for lighter air-to-air missiles.
Developers expect that the new configuration will allow maintaining acceptable flight characteristics of the aircraft while significantly increasing its combat load. The Su-30MKI remains one of the few aircraft of its class capable of employing heavy supersonic cruise missiles.
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