The Royal Malaysian Air Force (RMAF) has showed strong interest in obtaining India’s BrahMos Air Launched Cruise Missile (ALCM) to supplement its Sukhoi-30MKM fighter aircraft. The Mach 3 capable missile, with a range of 290 kilometers, will significantly enhance the RMAF’s naval strike capabilities.
However, integrating the BrahMos ALCM with the Su-30MKM platform is not a simple task. Before carrying the 2.5-ton missile, the Indian Air Force’s (IAF) Su-30MKI aircraft underwent a sophisticated structural hardening process. This required considerable changes to the aircraft’s airframe to handle the massive launch forces.
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Givenย theย similaritiesย betweenย theย Su-30MKIย andย Su-30MKM,ย theย RMAFย willย mostย likelyย needย toย engageย Hindustanย Aeronauticsย Limitedย (HAL),ย whoย devisedย andย carriedย outย theย IAF’sย structuralย hardeningย technique,ย toย doย aย comparableย modificationย forย theirย fleet.
Thisย wouldย incurย enormousย expendituresย andย time,ย butย theย acquisitionย ofย theย BrahMosย ALCMย isย likelyย toย significantlyย boostย theย RMAF’sย navalย strikeย capacityย inย theย region. Ifย theย agreementย isย completed,ย itย willย beย aย keyย milestoneย inย India’sย defenceย exportsย whileย alsoย strengtheningย bilateralย tiesย withย Malaysia.
