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| Indian Air Force Fires 3 Officers Who Accidentally Fired BrahMos Missiles at Pakistan |
New Delhi - The Indian Air Force said on Tuesday (23/8/2022), that the government had fired three officers for accidentally firing missiles at Pakistan in March. The incident was handled calmly by the two nuclear-armed rivals, as there were no casualties on either side.
Military experts have in the past warned of the risk of accidents or miscalculation by the neighbours, who have fought three wars and been involved in many smaller armed clashes.
The BrahMos missile is a nuclear-capable land attack cruise missile jointly developed by Russia and India which was fired on March 9. This incident prompted Pakistan to seek answers from New Delhi about the security mechanisms in place to prevent accidental launches.
"The Court of Inquiry, which was set up to establish the facts of the case, including establishing responsibility for the incident, found that deviation from Standard Operating Procedures by three officers led to the accidental firing of a missile," the Air Force said in a statement.
It was also reported that the dismissal of the 3 personnel was carried out on Tuesday. According to the United States-based Arms Control Association, the range of the BrahMos missile is between 300 km (186 miles) and 500 km (310 miles), making it capable of hitting Pakistan's capital, Islamabad from a northern Indian launch pad.