BrahMos cruise missile tested

To be fitted to six gen-next battleships

The supersonic cruise missile proves it’s worth once more on Sunday when it was launched from a vertical launcher fitted in “INS Ranvir” off Orissa coast.

The missile performed supersonic maneuvering following the exact flight path and homed on to the decommissioned target ship “INS Meen”.

“The launch met all mission requirements and was 100 per cent successful,” said A S Pillai, CEO and MD of BrahMos Aerospace. After Sunday’s test, India has become the first and only country in the world to have a “manoeuvrable supersonic cruise missile in its inventory,” he said.

Three upcoming Kolkata-class destroyers — being made in Mazgaon dock in Mumbai under the code name of Project 15 Alpha — and three Talwar-class frigates which the Navy is purchasing from Russia will have the launcher. Developed and patented by BrahMos Aerospace, the launcher is designed to be fitted under the warship’s deck, protecting it from atmospheric conditions and imparting stealth to the weapon system.

It allows the missile to be turned to cover 360 degree. This is the 22nd launch of the 9 mt long missile that can travel up to a distance of 290 km and fly at a velocity of 2.8 Mach. It carried conventional warheads. Besides the Navy, the Army too plans to induct three regiments of BrahMos in near future.