Russia to arm
T-50 PAK FAs with BrahMos light cruise missiles
By Ryan
Maass |
Jan. 30, 2017 at 3:00 PM
Jan. 30 (UPI)
-- A BrahMos light cruise missile is in development for future use on Russia's
5th-generation T-50 PAK FA fighter aircraft.
According to
an announcement made by Machine-Building R&D Consortium CEO and general
designer Alexander Leonov, Russia will collaborate with India to develop
smaller variants of the BrahMos cruise missile to integrate with new air-based
platforms.
"We are
working on the missile's light version," Russia's Tass news agency quoted
Leonov as saying. "It should fit the size of a torpedo tube and be almost
1.5 times smaller by its weight. It will be possible to mount our airborne
missile on a wide range [of aircraft]."
The BrahMos
is a short-range ramjet supersonic cruise missile designed to be launched from
submarines, ships, aircraft, or land-based platforms. The product is a result
of a collaboration between Russia's NPO Mashinostroyeniya and India's Defense
Research and Development Organization.
Russian state
media has referred to the weapon as the fastest anti-ship cruise missile in
operation.
While defense
industry officials have confirmed a lighter variant will be developed for the
T-50 PAK FA aircraft, they are also eyeing applications for existing platforms.
"Of
course, we'll be developing it, first of all, for the fifth-generation plane
but, possibly, it will be mounted on the MiG-35 fighter, although we have not
carried out such developments," Leonov added.
Original post: upi.com
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