The Defence Research and Development Organisation on 24-11-2020 successfully test-fired a land attack version of the BrahMos supersonic cruise from the Andaman & Nicobar Island and it successfully hit its target, which was on another island. The test was conducted by the Indian Army which has many regiments of the DRDO-developed Missile system and the range of BrahMos missile has now been enhanced to over 400 km. The launch was the latest in a string of recent weapons tests amid military tensions with China in the Ladakh sector.
Important Missiles India Tested In the Past Two Months:
Hypersonic Technology Demonstrator Vehicle (HSTDV)
DRDO successfully tested indigenously developed HSTDV on September 7. The state-of-the-art system, which adds up to India’s aerospace might, is an unmanned scramjet demonstration aircraft for hypersonic speed flight which can fly at a speed of Mach 6 and move up to an altitude of 32.5 km in 20 seconds. Besides its utility for long-range air missiles, the technology can also be used for launching satellites at low cost.
Anti-Tank Guided Missile (ATGM)
DRDO successfully test-fired a laser-guided Anti-Tank Guided Missile (ATGM) from an MBT Arjun Tank in Maharashtra’s Ahmednagar on September 23. Laser-guided ATGMs lock and track the targets with the help of laser designation to ensure precision hit accuracy. The missile employs a tandem HEAT warhead to defeat Explosive Reactive Armour (ERA) protected armoured vehicles.
BrahMos Supersonic Cruise Missile
India successfully conducted its second test-fire of the extended range BrahMos supersonic cruise missile on September 30. The test-fire of the missile, which can hit targets at more than 400-km range, was carried out under PJ-10 project of the DRDO. The missile’s airframe and booster have been developed indigenously. The name ‘BrahMos’ is a portmanteau of India’s Brahmaputra River and Russia’s Moskva River. The first-ever successful launch of BrahMos was on June 21, 2001. India and Russia are now planning to develop a new generation of Brahmos missile with 600 km-plus range.
Supersonic Missile Assisted Release of Torpedo (SMART)
DRDO conducted successful flight testing of the SMART on October 5, a missile assisted release of lightweight Anti-Submarine Torpedo System for anti-submarine warfare (ASW) operations for far beyond torpedo range. The Ministry of Defence informed about the successful flight testing and stated that all the mission objectives including missile flight have been met perfectly. A number of DRDO laboratories, including DRDL, RCI Hyderabad, ADRDE Agra, NSTL Visakhapatnam have developed the technologies required for SMART.
RUDRAM Anti-Radiation Missile
DRDO added another feather on its cap on October 9 after successful flight test of an advanced anti-radiation missile. The indigenously developed New generation Anti Radiation Missile or RUDRAM was launched from a Sukhoi Su-30MKI fighter aircraft onto a radiation target located on Wheeler Island off the coast of Odisha. A first of its kind missile developed domestically, RUDRAM is integrated on SU-30 Mk1 fighter aircraft as the launch platform, having the capability of varying ranges based on launch conditions. The tactical, air-to-surface missile is a force multiplier for the Indian Air Force and has INS-GPS navigation with Passive Homing Head for the final attack.
SHAURYA Hypersonic Ballistic Missile
India on 3-Oct-2020 successfully test-fired indigenously developed hypersonic nuclear-capable Shaurya missile, an advanced version of Submarine Launched Ballistic Missile (SLBM) K-15 (B-05).
The surface-to-surface medium range Shaurya missile, that can reach speeds of 7.5 Mach (seven and half times the speed of sound), blasted off from a canister. The missile, equipped with multiple advanced computing technology and high accuracy navigation, efficient propulsion, sophisticated control and guidance systems, successfully followed its target in the Bay of Bengal.