Malaysia is exploring the possibility of arming its 18 Su-30MKM fighter jets with the air-launched version of the BrahMos supersonic missile. The start of discussions was announced by Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim after talks with the Indian leadership.
The key advantage of the project is the combination of a range of about 290 km, a speed of up to Mach 2.8–3, and a missile mass of about 2.5 tons. For comparison, BrahMos-A is among the heaviest air-launched weapons integrated with the Su-30 family: during tests on the Indian Su-30MKI, the missile became the heaviest payload for this aircraft. The basic BrahMos reaches about Mach 2.8 and has a range of up to 290 km, while the air-launched variant is designed for striking ground and naval targets.
For Malaysia, the problem is not so much in purchasing the missile itself, but in its integration with the Su-30MKM. Indian experience has shown that BrahMos-A required significant changes to the aircraft's design, avionics, release system, and a special pylon; separate tests were also conducted for the joint operation of the aircraft and the missile.
The Su-30MKM is close to the Indian Su-30MKI in terms of its basic platform, but the Malaysian version received its own set of equipment, so the ready-made Indian solution cannot be automatically transferred to it.
Potential integration will give Malaysian Su-30s the ability to conduct long-range anti-ship and ground strikes without directly approaching the target.
Read more on the topic:
- Four Dozen Indian Su-30MKI Fighters Equipped with Supersonic Brahmos Missiles, Based on P-800 Onyx
- India to transform Su-30MKI into carrier of five BrahMos-NG missiles: strike power to increase manifold
- Delighted Thousands of Spectators: Commander-in-Chief of the Malaysian Air Force Showed Top-Class Piloting Skills on Su-30MKM