The Indian Air Force (IAF) told the Delhi High Court on Friday that the reason behind the misfire of a BrahMos supersonic missile in March of two years ago, which landed in Pakistan, was that the missile's combat connectors "stayed connected to the junction box."
The incident occurred on March 9, 2022, and the IAF has now disclosed the cause for the first time. The following day, Islamabad had sent a protest to New Delhi.
The IAF noted in its reply to the high court that the combat crew did not step in to stop the commander of the Mobile Autonomous Launcher from engaging in an unsafe act of launching the Combat Missile, which resulted in a launch into the neighboring nation and posed a potential threat to any airborne, ground object, or personnel, "despite" knowing that the combat connectors of combat missiles are connected to the junction box.
The Indian Air Force's "reputation was damaged as well," it added, adding that the incident cost the government's coffers ₹25 crore. The incident had the "effect of affecting the relations" between India and Pakistan, according to the force's description.
Group Captain Saurabh Gupta, Squadron Leader Pranjal Singh, and Wing Commander Abhinav Sharma—all members of the Combat Team—were found accountable for "various acts of omission and commission leading to the firing of the missile" by the Court of Inquiry (CoI), which was established by the IAF days after the misfire. The CoI had questioned up to 16 witnesses.
The IAF filed its response at the high court in response to Wing Commander Sharma's plea. In response to the Wing Commander placing the responsibility on Air Commodore JT Kurien, it described his claims as speculative, ill-founded, and devoid of supporting documentation.
Sharma's claim that he was "in no position to avert the firing of the missile" was also rejected by the Indian Air Force.
