BHUBANESWAR: Amid rising border tensions, India is likely to soon flight test the export variant of the extended-range BrahMos cruise missile, with more indigenous components, in the Indian Ocean region.
Defence sources said the preparation is in full swing for a missile test in full operational configuration any time between Friday and Saturday off the Andaman Nicobar Islands.
A notice to airmen (NOTAM) has been issued for a 510 km no-fly zone, fuelling speculation about a test of the extended-range BrahMos missile.
Although there is no official word on whether it will be a ballistic missile test or a cruise missile, sources told The New Indian Express that it could be a crucial test of the extended-range BrahMos' air version.
"BrahMos is a world-class weapon having no comparison. The efforts are focused on more indigenisation of the weapon system. It will enhance operational credibility and refine the accuracy," the sources said.
BrahMos is in the headlines following reports of its deployment during Operation Sindoor, a major military operation conducted by Indian armed forces.
Defence sources indicated that BrahMos served as a deterrent and demonstrated India’s tactical supremacy in rapid-response scenarios.
Developed under an Indo-Russian joint venture, supersonic BrahMos is a two-stage cruise missile with a solid propellant booster engine and second-stage liquid ramjet, making it one of the deadliest weapon systems in the world.
Initially designed to destroy targets up to 290 km, the strike range of the missile has been extended to over 450 km after India’s full membership to the Missile Technology Control Regime (MTCR) that removed caps on the range of joint-venture cruise missiles.
While the land and naval versions of the extended-range BrahMos have already been inducted in the armed forces, sources said this scheduled user-associate test will pave the way for the induction of the enhanced-range version in the air force.
Weighing around 2.5 tonnes, BrahMos air version is the heaviest weapon to be deployed on Sukhoi-30 fighter aircraft, which has been modified by Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) to carry the weapons.
The world-class weapon with multi-platform and multi-mission role is now capable of being launched from land, sea and air platforms, completing the tactical cruise missile triad for the country. It has no equivalent due to its precision, manoeuvrability and lethality.
“As part of the modernisation of weapons, the extended-range BrahMos air version would replace the old variant. At least three squadrons of Sukhoi-30 MKI aircraft are being readied. The launch platform in the aircraft has been upgraded for the advanced system,” said the sources.
Apart from the modernisation efforts, BrahMos Aerospace is fast-tracking the project as several countries are also eyeing the BrahMos air-launched version, as it has no match in its class in the world. The land variant of the system has already been exported to Philippines, and countries like Indonesia and Malaysia have evinced interest to import the missile.
