Indian Air Force Successfully Test Fires BrahMos Missile From Sukhoi-30 Jet

NEW DELHI, April 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.

Lieutenant General Manoj Pande is India's new Army Chief

NEW DELHI, April 18: Lieutenant General Manoj Pande was appointed the Indian Army Chief on April 18.

Currently serving as the Vice Chief of the Army Staff, he will become the first commander from the Corps of Engineers to take charge of the 1.3-million-strong force as the position has been held so far by officers from infantry, artillery and armoured regiments.

Lt Gen Pande will assume the new position as the Chief of Army Staff (COAS) at the end of this month upon General MM Naravane's retirement on April 30.

According to a report, Lt Gen Pande is currently the senior-most officer in the force after General Naravane.

Lt Gen Manoj C Pande, who has been appointed the 29th Chief of the Army Staff, hails from Nagpur and members of his family are connected with the defence forces, while his academician-father retired from the Nagpur university and his mother worked for the All India Radio.

He is an alumnus of the National Defence Academy and was commissioned into the Corps of Engineers in December 1982. In his military career spanning 39 years, the senior officer has commanded an infantry brigade along the Line of Control among others; he is currently in charge of the Eastern Command.

He became the senior-most officer after a few top officers retired in the last three months. The incumbent Lt Gen Raj Shukla who was commanding Army's training command (ARTRAC) retired on March 31. A few other senior-most leaders had also retired by January end.

Lieutenant General CP Mohanty and Lt Gen YK Joshi retired on January 31. This March-end, there was also a rejig in the force. Lt Gen SS Mahal assumed command of ARTRAC at Shimla after Lt Gen Raj Shukla hung his boots.

Indian missile lands in Pakistan, India says technical malfunction led to misfire

NEW DELHI, March 11: A missile accidentally misfired from Indian soil landed in Pakistan two days ago, the Union government said on Friday, March 11, calling the incident ‘deeply regrettable.”

Pakistan had earlier alleged violation of its airspace by an Indian-origin “super-sonic flying object” which entered into Pakistan from Suratgarh in India at 6:43 pm (local time) on March 9. The object later fell on the ground near Mian Chunnu city in Pakistan's Punjab province at around 6:50 pm on the same day, causing damage to the civilian property.

No loss of life was reported. The Indian government has now said that a missile was accidentally fired due to a technical malfunction.

“On 9 March 2022, in the course of a routine maintenance, a technical malfunction led to the accidental firing of a missile,” the Defence Ministry said.

“The Government of India has taken a serious view and ordered a high-level Court of Enquiry. It is learnt that the missile landed in an area of Pakistan. While the incident is deeply regrettable, it is also a matter of relief that there has been no loss of life due to the accident,” the statement added.

On Thursday night, Pakistan had summoned India's Charge d'Affaires and conveyed its strong protest over the alleged unprovoked violation of its airspace by an Indian-origin super-sonic flying object and sought a thorough and transparent investigation of the incident.

Pakistan Army spokesman Major General Babar Iftikhar said that on March 9, a hi-speed flying object was picked up inside the Indian territory by the Air Defence Operations Center of the Pakistan Air Force.

From its initial course, the object suddenly maneuvered towards the Pakistani territory and violated the Pakistani air space, ultimately falling near Mian Channu, Khanewal district of Punjab at 6:50 PM, also damaging some civilian property but no loss or injury to human life was caused.

“PAF continuously monitored the complete flight path of the flying object from its point of origin Sirsa in India till its point of impact near Mian Channu and initiated requisite tactical actions in accordance with standard operating procedures,” he said.

He added India should explain whatever caused this incident to happen, which showed their “disregard for aviation safety and reflects very poorly on their technological prowess and procedural efficiency.” Iftikhar also made it clear that there was no sensitive installation in Mian Channu where the projectile fell.