After ending 2021 on a high note, India ushered in the New Year with the successful testing of the extended range BrahMos supersonic cruise missile
The upgraded BrahMos supersonic anti-ship cruise missile launched from the newly commissioned INS Visakhapatnam destroyer was successfully test-fired by the Indian navy on January 11, 2022, bringing it the country’s great ambitions.
The Indian Defense Research and Development Organization (DRDO) announced on Twitter that the Indian authorities on January 11, 2022 successfully conducted a test of an advanced sea to sea variant of BrahMos Supersonic Cruise missile was tested from INS Visakhapatnam today. The missile hit the designated target ship precisely.
Advanced sea to sea variant of BrahMos Supersonic Cruise missile was tested from INS Visakhapatnam today. Missile hit the designated target ship precisely. @indiannavy @BrahMosMissile#SashaktBharat#AtmaNirbharBharat pic.twitter.com/BbnazlRoM4
— DRDO (@DRDO_India) January 11, 2022
The newest stealth guided missile destroyer Visakhapatnam was handed over to the Indian Navy in November last year. The ship has a displacement of 7400 tons, is equipped with 16 BrahMos supersonic anti-ship cruise missiles and 32 Barak-8 air defense missiles, with a range of 100km.
This test of BrahMos supersonic cruise missile is an improved “sea-to-sea variant” has a range of 350 to 400 kilometers, which is more than the other existing version that has a maximum range of 290 kilometers.
Before that, at the beginning of December last year, India also successfully tested the BrahMos version launched from fighter aircraft. The missile was successfully launched from a Su-30MKI fighter jet at the Chandipur training ground in the eastern state of Odisha.
BrahMos supersonic cruise missile is researched and developed by the Russian-Indian joint venture BrahMos Aerospace on the technology platform of Russia’s P-800 Onyx supersonic cruise missile, in the joint development program between NPO Mashinostroeniya Corporation. of Russia and the DRDO.
The Russian-Indian enterprise BrahMos Aerospace was founded in 1998 and is named after the rivers Brahmaputra and Moscow (hence, the letter “M” in the name BrahMos must be capitalized). In addition to cruise missiles of the same name, this enterprise also manufactures launcher systems, missile control systems.
Due to the limitations of the Missile Technology Control Treaty (MTCR), Russia was unable to transfer all the technology of the P-800 Onyx, causing the BrahMos’ range to be reduced to only 290km, half that of the original version. Russian origin (600 km). Therefore, India always wants to increase the range of this killer missile.
Currently, the joint venture’s BrahMos missile has reached a launch range of 400km (Mach 3.5) and will be lifted 500km (Mach 4.5), eventually possibly reaching over 900km with the launch version. BrahMos-ER aerial view, supersonic speed (above Mach 5).
The Indian Navy has picked the BrahMos as its primary ship-launched cruise missile, with all frigates and destroyers being built to carry the BrahMos in vertical-launch canisters, with eight missiles per frigate and 16 missiles per destroyer.
If successful, the BrahMos missile will greatly enhance India’s strike capabilities from the ground, air and sea, creating a formidable synergy for the country’s navy, land, and air forces.