Malaysia Explores to Arm Its Sukhoi Su-30MKM Fleet with India's BrahMos-A Air Launched Cruise Missile

The Royal Malaysian Air Force (RMAF) is considering a significant upgrade to its fleet of 18 Sukhoi Su-30MKM fighter jets by equipping them with India's BrahMos-A supersonic cruise missile.

Preliminary discussions have reportedly begun between Malaysia and Indian defence firms, including Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) and BrahMos Aerospace, to explore the feasibility of the landmark project.

The BrahMos-A is the specialised air-launched variant of the world-renowned BrahMos missile, a joint venture between India and Russia.

To make it suitable for aircraft, its weight was reduced by 500 kilograms compared to the land and sea-based versions, while retaining its formidable speed and precision.

Currently, the Indian Air Force (IAF) is the sole operator of this advanced missile, deploying it on its own fleet of Su-30MKI aircraft.

Integrating the 2.5-ton missile onto the fighter jets is a complex engineering challenge.

Reports indicate that the RMAF has requested technical details regarding the necessary structural reinforcements to the aircraft's fuselage and the projected costs. This process would likely mirror the extensive modifications that HAL performed on India's Su-30MKI jets.

Given that the Malaysian Su-30MKM and the Indian Su-30MKI share a common design platform, HAL's prior experience provides a clear path for the potential integration. The RMAF already has an existing relationship with HAL, which provides maintenance and support for its Sukhoi fleet.

Defence analysts suggest that while talks are in the early stages, a finalised agreement and implementation could take several years to complete due to the comprehensive modifications and rigorous testing required.

The successful induction of the BrahMos-A by the IAF has already demonstrated the missile's capability as a high-value strategic asset, providing a powerful stand-off strike option.

This potential acquisition underscores the deepening defence ties between Malaysia and India. If the deal proceeds, it would mark the first time India has exported the air-launched version of the BrahMos missile, representing a major achievement for its ambition to become a key global supplier of advanced military hardware.

 

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[Harsh Wardhan Gunthey]

We should be asking them to first buy Tejas and cancel the light jet program if they want us to buy BrahMos.

 

[Radha Ramanan]

That's definitely not a good idea. Malaysia is becoming more and more radical. When our parliament delegation went to Malaysia regarding sindoor, there was a sort of indifference, and the reason was, though India is a friend, they said Pakistan was a brother, and China was the biggest trading partner, so they could not do anything. They are hosting and protecting that terrorist Zakir Naik as well. So the writing is on the wall. They will never help us in a war with China, as well as the Malaysian economy is controlled by the Chinese.

Again, if there is an Islamist inside the air force, it's easy to spy for Pakistan regarding the BrahMos missile. It's a big reality. Why does the DoD or whoever go around trying to sell BrahMos like a beggar? As the BrahMos has been proven in war, we have the upper hand, and we have to pick and choose.

Indonesia is a good friend, not so radical like Malaysia. There is a difference of opinion between both. It's better to sell to Indonesia, as they have given us bases for our navy as well, and there is close cooperation regarding Chinese submarine surveillance. Arming Indonesia will rattle the Malaysians as well.

It was most idiotic to offer the LCA to Malaysia like beggars. As it is, we don't have enough fighter squadrons, and we go around trying to sell as though that would make us a superpower. It was a foregone conclusion when Pakistan also offered the J-17, which put them in a fix, as Pakistan is a brother. Our LCA has Israeli parts, which definitely put them off, just like Egypt.

India is the loser in all this tamasha; both Malaysia and Egypt have test-flown the LCA in detail and will definitely pass on the details to brother Pakistan.

 

[Sandeep]

It’s a good idea but it would be better that we first develop the Brahmos NG missile which gives it the Mach 3 speed, 300km range, the same size warhead and the same amount of destruction it can achieve. If we achieve this then we won’t have to make any major structural or software changes to the Sukhoi jet and it will be able to carry more of these missiles which increases the number of targets we can hit on one sortie.

The other alternative is to quickly complete developing the Rudram MK1-3 missiles which hits the target at Mach 5 hypersonic speed. With a similar size warhead this would cause a significant amount of damage and it would be very difficult to intercept at the terminal stage at that high speeds.

 

[Ashish Kumar]

This is rediculous I mean to say why MOD is giving it's technology superiority weapon to any other Nation.Forget that it is Malayasia which is a Muslim country and can easily pass sensitive technology to Pakistan.Did USA ever give its one of the most stealth fighter F-22 raptor to any of its so called Alleys.It,s like MOD along with Defence forces are so impatient to export everything to everyone on the cost of National security.pathetic

 

[Double++]

WE MUST NOT SELL BRAHMOS TO MALAYSIA. They won't help us during war against Pakistan and China rather they can pass on critical information about Brahmos to their "Brother" Pakistan.

 

[Arimardan]

Give BrahMos to Vietnam, but not Malaysia. It has in the past taken a very anti-India stance under Mahathir Mohammad. It also has a sizeable population of Chinese faithful diaspora, while the Indian one dissociates itself from India and prefers being called Tamils and not Indians. You would find countless Malaysians online parroting China-Pakistan narratives, calling Indians 'Pajeets' and what not 😂 That said, those saying 'BrahMos is not a cutting-edge tech'... Well! It is. Else there would be multiple options for procurement of similar missiles the world over. A product from India which is new to the world of arms exports would not even be considered by nations outside perhaps only Africa.