SUCCESSFUL TEST FIRE
18 October, 2020: India successfully test fired BrahMos supersonic cruise missile
Launched from INS Chennai - stealth destroyer ship made in India
BrahMos has “land, air and naval variants”
Recent test was for the naval variant - range of 290 kilometres
Struck the target “with pin-point accuracy after performing high-level and extremely complex manoeuvres”
Developed jointly by India and Russia
TESTS ON A ROLL
India has successfully tested 11 missiles in last 2 months. Notable successful tests:
1. 30 Sept: Tested Brahmos (surface to surface) - target range of 400 km
2. 1 Oct: Tested the Laser-Guided Anti Tank Guided Missile (ATGM)
3. 3 Oct: Tested Shaurya - hypersonic indigenous missile capable of carrying nuclear warheads
4. 10 Oct: Tested Rudram-1 - first “indigenous anti-radiation missile” of India
FEATURES OF BRAHMOS
Fastest supersonic cruise missile in the world
Top speed: Mach 2.8 (~3450 km/h) - around thrice the speed of sound
Range: 290 km - increased in latest upgrade to 400-450 km
Cruising altitude: Upto 15 km
Warhead capacity: 200 to 300 kg
Length: 8.4m
HISTORY OF BRAHMOS MISSILE
BRAHMOS
Supersonic cruise missile developed by BrahMos Aerospace
BrahMos AEROSPACE
Joint venture between Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) of India and NPO Mashinostroyenia (NPOM) of Russia
Formed in 1988 after India and Russia signed “Intergovernmental” agreement
Signed by Dr. A P J Abdul Kalam from Indian side
Missile derives its name from BRAHmaputra and MOSkva rivers of India and Russia respectively
2008: BrahMos Aerospace acquired ‘Keltec’ (state-owned Indian firm)
Aimed to manufacture BrahMos components indigenously
10-12% of missile components made in India initially
Increased to 65% as of 2018
First successful test launch of Brahmos in 2001 - fired from a stationary launcher
2005: First BrahMos missile inducted - inducted in Indian Navy with INS Rajput
2010: Became the first cruise missile to be tested at supersonic speed in “steep-dive” mode in the world
Land, submarine, warship variants have been successfully tested
2019: Sukhoi-30 fighter jet variant tested Inducted Sukhoi 30-MKI fighter aircraft (equipped with BrahMos) in the Indian Air Force
Jan 2020: Sukhoi 30-MKI fighter aircraft (equipped with BrahMos) inducted in the Indian Air Force
DID YOU KNOW?
AGNI V IS INDIA’S FIRST INTER CONTINENTAL BALLISTIC MISSILE
It can travel upto 5,800 kilometres - roughly till the northern parts of China
