India, Russia to Improve the Brahmos Missile to Attack AWACS Aircraft

India and Russia will be creating an updated version of the BrahMos missile that can attack the US Airborne Warning And Control System (AWACs )of task forces. AWACS are vital parts of a carrier strike group and, when disabled, leave a blindside.

The current version of the supersonic ship killer missile is only capable of attacking ships. An advanced version will be developed by Russia and India that can knock out AWACS. It is the plane used to recon the surroundings aircraft carriers, reported Eurasian Times.

When updated, the India-Russian coop missile will not only skim seas at supersonic speed. It will function as more than a ship-killer, upgraded to become a long-range air-to-air missile (AAM).

According to Alexander Maksichev of Brahmos Aerospace, manufactures dreaded the ship-killer. He revealed that the Russian type version would be a variant with technical revisions to go after early-warning and control aircraft by 2024. Other plans by Brahmos is to make a hypersonic version of the missile.

He added the success of the missile has made the company decide to have variants for many targets. He told this to the Russian news agency RIA Novosti in September, teasing that it will have one adept at hitting targets in the air soon to come.

This weapon does not have major changes but is modernized to a certain degree. Instead of the total revision of the system, it will be able to adapt to different targets. The versatility of the missile to acquire targets makes it a versatile combat system.

Modern military forces have the AWACS (Airborne Warning And Control System) usually mounted on rotary or jet-powered aircraft. Call this the quarterback in the sky that gives a call if any enemy fighters, cruise missiles like the BrahMos missile, or drones are at a distance of 370 km (200 nautical miles).

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It can see value targets at a greater distance and tag it for assets to like missiles or interceptors to destroy them. AWACS gives awareness of all activity surrounding the plane mounted AWACS.

The Indian Naval Ship Navy is using the ship-killer as the primary weapon that targeted Chinese vessels. Another is a land-attack version used by the Indian Army. Another type mounted on planes, the BrahMos-A for the Indian Air Force (IAF) is not available but will be ready for delivery at the tail end of 2020.

China's People's Liberation Army Air Force (PLAAF) and Pakistan are using AWACS in either the Ladakh or Pakistan. These airs launched versions will be mounted on an AIF plane to kill their AWACS.

It targets the Highlands of the Himalayas, both India, and China, that centers on the Line of Actual Control with no resolution. China is waiting for the issue, and talks are at no progress. Beijing does not want to leave their area. A build-up of arms and troops, China has its AWACS deployed for intel, as is the IAF supporting the Indian Army.

Planes used by China's People's Liberation Army Air Force (PLAAF) and PLA Naval Aviation have several aircraft specializing for AWACS and other aircraft stationed there. China claims to have 30 aerial tankers, according to the report.

AWACS used by the PLAAF is poor and inferior compared to a P-8, and even the Northrop Grumman E-2 Hawkeye is far superior. Though the BrahMos Missile may find Chinese AWACS easy pickings.