New Delhi, Apr 19: In demonstrating its operational preparedness, the Indian Air Force (IAF) on Tuesday successfully test-fired a BrahMos supersonic cruise missile from a Sukhoi fighter jet on the Eastern seaboard.

The "live firing" of the missile was carried out in close coordination with the Indian Navy, the IAF said.

The missile hit the target with accuracy and precision, officials said.

"Today on the Eastern seaboard, #IAF undertook live firing of #BrahMos missile from a Su30 MkI aircraft. The missile achieved a direct hit on the target, a decommissioned #IndianNavy ship. The mission was undertaken in close coordination with @indiannavy," the IAF said in a tweet.

In 2016, the government had decided to integrate the air-launched variant of the Brahmos into over 40 Sukhoi fighter jets.

The project was conceived to enhance the IAF's capability to strike from large stand-off ranges on any target on sea or land.

On March 5, the Indian Navy successfully test-fired an advanced version of the Brahmos supersonic cruise missile from a stealth destroyer in the Indian Ocean.

The missile was test-fired from the stealth destroyer INS Chennai.

BrahMos Aerospace, an India-Russian joint venture, produces supersonic cruise missiles that can be launched from submarines, ships, aircraft, or land platforms.

BrahMos missile flies at a speed of 2.8 Mach or almost three times the speed of sound.

The range of the advanced version of the missile is learnt to have been extended to around 350 km from the original 290 km.

Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.



Thiruvananthapuram/New Delhi (PTI): Congress general secretary (organisation) K C Venugopal on Thursday accepted the party decision to select V D Satheesan as the chief minister of Kerala and congratulated him.

Speaking to reporters in New Delhi, Venugopal, who was one of the three persons being considered for the post, said he will provide all support to the CM and the UDF government in Kerala.

The decision comes more than 10 days after the results of the April Assembly polls in Kerala were declared.

The Congress-led UDF secured a more than two-thirds majority in the Kerala Assembly elections, but the party has been unable to decide its chief ministerial face due to lobbying by different camps and protests by workers at the ground level.

Besides, Satheesan and Venugopal, senior Congress leader Ramesh Chennithala was also in the race for the CM post.