BHUBANESWAR: A day after the successful test-firing of the Vertical Launch Short Range Surface-to-Air Missile (VL-SRSAM), India on Wednesday flight-tested the air version of supersonic cruise missile BrahMos from a fighter aircraft off the Odisha coast.
Defence sources said the Indo-Russian joint venture BrahMos was test-fired from a Sukhoi 30 MK-I aircraft at about 10.30 am paving the way for its serial production.
"The missile launched from the aircraft followed the pre-planned trajectory meeting all mission objectives. The successful trial is a major milestone in the BrahMos development as it clears the system for serial production in the country," said a defence official.
The 8.4-metre BrahMos missile, the fastest in the world, has a flight range of 450 km (enhanced from 290 km following India's entry in Missile Technology Control Regime) and carries a conventional warhead up to 300 kg. With high-precision and devastating power, it can cruise at the supersonic speed of Mach 2.8.
The BrahMos Aerospace had to reduce the weight of the air version of the missile to 2.4 tonne as it is to be launched from a moving platform unlike its land and navy versions. The weight of land and naval versions of the missile is 2.9 tonne. Some modifications were also made in its design to easily integrate it into Sukhoi aircraft.
Equipped with an inertial navigation system and global positioning system, the missile can effectively engage ground targets from an altitude as low as 10 metre for surgical strikes at terror training camps across the border without causing collateral damage.
BrahMos is the only supersonic cruise missile possessing this advanced capability in the world providing an edge to the user with the precise hit.
Major airframe assemblies which form an integral part of the Ramjet engine of the missile have been indigenously developed by Indian Industry. These include non-metallic airframe sections comprising Ramjet fuel tank and pneumatic fuel supply system. During the test structural integrity and functional performance has been proven.
Secretary Department of Defence R&D and Chairman of DRDO Dr G Satheesh Reddy complimented various laboratories of DRDO, academic institutions, quality assurance and certification agencies, public sector undertakings and the Indian Air Force, which participated in the development, testing, production and induction of the complex missile system.
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh has congratulated DRDO, BrahMos Aerospace, Indian Airforce and industry for the successful test-firing of the missile from Sukhoi 30 MK-I.
BrahMos is a Joint Venture between India (DRDO) and Russia (NPOM) for the development, production and marketing of the supersonic cruise missile. It is a potent offensive missile weapon system already inducted into the tri-services (Indian Army, Indian Navy and Indian Air Force) of the Indian Armed Forces.