BrahMos is supersonic cruise missile in India

BrahMos is a supersonic cruise missile being developed by BrahMos Aerospace, a joint venture between Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) of India and NPO Mashinostroeyenia (NPOM) of Russia. The missile can be launched against ships and land-based targets. The missile is named after two rivers, the Brahmaputra in India and the Moskva in Russia.The BrahMos  is a medium-range ramjet supersonic cruise missile that can be launched from submarine, ships, aircraft, or land. It is the fastest cruise missile in the world. It is a joint venture between the Russian Federation's NPO Mashinostroyeniya and India's Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) who together have formed BrahMos Aerospace. It is based on the Russian P-800 Oniks cruise missile and other similar sea-skimming Russian cruise missile technology. The name BrahMos is a portmanteau formed from the names of two rivers, the Brahmaputra of India and the Moskva of Russia.

“Indigenisation of missile development in India, capacity building for larger production, meeting the production orders ahead of schedule to ensure delivery of missiles on time and to ensure different variants of BrahMos missiles to meet the aspirations and requirements of the defence force including Army, Navy and Air Force are my immediate priorities. In order to meet the above requirements, we now have to focus more on production of engine and seeker in India,” he says. In addition, BrahMos Aerospace is now gearing up for the testing of the air-launched version of the missile from the IAF’s Su-30MKI fighter aircraft by this year-end or early next year. “Once the integration and ground tests are over, we will carry out the flight trials from the frontline fighter aircraft.” According to Mishra, BrahMos is a total solutions company which handles all the stages of the missile operation including design, development, serial production, marketing, delivery, after sales support & maintenance, upgrades and new products creation. “We have formed a unique public-private consortium, to speed up production of the missile system. Industry partners are the strength and backbone of BrahMos. More than 200 industry partners from India are committed to the BrahMos programme. They are continuously producing and delivering various systems and sub systems ranging from small rubber components to technologically advanced airframes and navigation systems. Together, we are also focussing on enhancing the indigenous contents of the BrahMos missile system.

Specifications

Type	Parameter
Type	1.           Air-launched cruise missile 2.           Anti-ship missile 3.          Land-attack missile. 4.           Surface-to-surface missils
Place of origin	India / Russia
In service	November 2006
Used by Indian	1.           Army 2.           Indian Navy 3.           Indian Air Force
Manufacturer	BrahMos Aerospace Limited
Unit cost	US$2.73 million
Variants	1.          Ship-launched 2.           Surface-launched 3.           Submarine-launched 4.          Air-launched 5.           BrahMos-II
Specifications
Mass	3,000kg
Length	8.4m
Diameter	0.6m
Warhead	200 kg conventional semi-armour-piercing and nuclear, 300 kg (air-launched)
Engine  First stage	solid fuel rocket booster
Operational range	Surface/Sea Platform - 450 km To be upgraded to 600 km, Air Platform - 400 km.
Flight ceiling	14km
Flight altitude	Sea skimming, as low as 3–4 meters
Guidance system	Mid-course guidance by INS  Terminal guidance by active radar homing GPS/GLONASS/GAGAN satellite guidance
Accuracy	1 m circular error probable
platform	Ship, submarine, aircraft (under testing), and land-based mobile launchers.

BrahMos Aerospace was formed as a joint venture between Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) of India and Joint Stock Company “Military Industrial Consortium” “NPO Mashinostroyenia” (earlier known as Federal State Unitary Enterprise NPOM of Russia). The company was established in India through an Inter-Governmental Agreement signed on February 12, 1998, between The Republic of India and The Russian Federation. The company was established with an authorised capital of US$250 million with 50.5 percent from Indian side and 49.5 percent from Russian side. The company is responsible for designing, developing, producing and marketing the BrahMos supersonic cruise missile with active participation of a consortium of Indian and Russian industries. The JV Company has become a role model by integrating public-private industries from India and Russia as a consortium of ‘Missile Industry Complex’. It has penetrated the international market with the most potent weapon system for precision strike and a Force Multiplier in Network Centric Warfare.

Joint venture

Origin

The BrahMos has been developed as a joint venture between the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) of India and the Federal State Unitary Enterprise NPO Mashinostroyenia (NPOM) of Russia as BrahMos Aerospace via an inter-government agreement. The company was established on 12 February 1998 with an authorized share capital of US$250 million. India holds 50.5% share of the joint venture and its initial financial contribution was US$126.25 million, while Russia holds 49.5% share with an initial contribution of US$123.75 million. Since late 2004, the missile has undergone several tests from a variety of platforms, including a land based test from the Pokhran range in the desert, in which the evasive  'S' maneuver at Mach 2.8 was demonstrated for the Indian Army and a launch in which the land attack capability from sea was demonstrate.

Surface-to-surface variant

BrahMos was first test-fired on 12 June 2001 from the Integrated Test Range (ITR), Chandipur in a vertical launch configuration. On 14 June 2004, another test was conducted at ITR and BrahMos was fired from a mobile launcher.  On 5 March 2008, the land attack version of the missile was fired from the destroyer INS Rajput and the missile hit and destroyed the right target among a group of targets. The vertical launch of BrahMos was conducted on 18 December 2008 from INS Ranvir. The BrahMos I Block-I for the army was successfully tested with new capabilities in the deserts of Rajasthan, at a test range near Pokharan in December 2004 and March 2007. 

During a user trial on 20 January 2009, BrahMos was tested with a new navigation system but it failed to hit the target. BrahMos Aerospace Corporation's director Dr Sivathanu Pillai said, "The missile performance was absolutely normal until the last phase, but the missile missed the target, though it maintained the direction." and that "The problem was in the software, not hardware". The Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) said that there were "small hitches" in the last stage of the test firing due to delay in input of satellite navigation input to the Inertial Navigation System, the missile traveled for 112 seconds instead of the slated 84 seconds and fell 7 km away from the target.  According to BrahMos Corporation, another test of the new missile was to be conducted within one month, but it was eventually conducted on 4 March 2009 and was deemed successful.  BrahMos was test-fired again on 29 March 2009. For the test, the missile had to identify a building among a cluster of buildings in an urban environment.

Submarine-launched variant

The submarine-launched variant of Brahmos was test fired successfully for the first time from a submerged pontoon near Visakhapatnam at the coast of Bay of Bengal on 20 March 2013. This was the first vertical launch of a supersonic missile from a submerged platform. The missile can be launched from a depth of 40 to 50 m.  In late January 2016, Russia confirmed that future Indian-made submarines would be armed with smaller version of the missile that could fit inside a torpedo tube.

Air-launched variant

The BrahMos-A is a modified air-launched variant of the missile with a range of 400 km which can be launched from a Sukhoi Su-30MKI as a standoff weapon.  To reduce the missile's weight to 2.55 tons, many modifications were made like using a smaller booster, adding fins for airborne stability after launch, and relocating the connector. It can be released from the height of 500 to 14,000 meters (1,640 to 46,000 ft). After release, the missile free falls for 100–150 meters, then goes into a cruise phase at 14,000 meters and finally the terminal phase at 15 meters. BrahMos Aerospace planned to deliver the missile to the IAF in 2015, where it is expected to arm at least three squadrons.  A Su-30MKI is able to only carry one BrahMos missile.

• Variants

1. Surface-launched, Block I
2. Ship-launched, anti-ship variant (operational)
3. Ship-launched, land-attack variant (operational)
4. Land-launched, land-attack variant (operational)
5. Land-launched, anti-ship variant (In induction, tested on 10 December 2010)
6. Surface-launched, upgraded variants
7. BrahMos Block II land-attack variant (Operational)
8. BrahMos Block III land-variant (being inducted)
9. Anti-aircraft carrier variant (tested in March 2012) – the missile gained the capability to attack aircraft carriers using the supersonic vertical dive variant of the missile that could travel up to 290 km.
10. Air-launched
11. Air-launched, anti-ship variant (tested)
12. Air-launched, land-attack variant (tested)
13. Submarine-launched
14. Submarine-launched, anti-ship variant – Tested successfully for the first time from a submerged pontoon on 20 March 2013.
15. Submarine-launched, land-attack variant (under development, expected completion in 2011.

BrahMos test fired from Sukhoi.

Defence Ministry says the operation will bolster IAF's air combat operations capability Indian defence on Wednesday got a boost with the successful flighttest firing of the world’s fastest supersonic cruise missile Brahmos from Indian Air Force (IAF) frontline fighter aircraft Sukhoi-30MKI. ith Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman congratulated Defence Reserach and Development Organisation (DRDO) scientists for this ‘’outstanding achievement.’’  The missile was fired against a sea-based target in the Bay of Bengal. It was gravity dropped from the Su- 30 from fuselage, and the two stage missile’s engine fired up and straightway propelled towards the intended target. The successful maiden test firing of Brahmos Air Launched Cruise Missile (ALCM) from Su30MKI will significantly bolster the IAF’s air combat operations capability from stand-off ranges.  Brahmos ALCM weighing 2.5 ton is the heaviest weapon to be deployed on India’s Su-30 fighter aircraft modified by HAL to carry weapons. Brahmos, the world-class weapon with multi-platform, multimission role is now capable of being launched from land, sea and air, completing the tactical cruise missile triad for India. Brahmos is a joint venture between DRDO of India and NPOM of Russia.  The scientists and engineers were also congratulated by Dr S Christopher, chairman DRDO and Secretary, Department of Defence R and D , for this text book kind of flight test.

BrahMos air launch seals India’s cruise missile triad

• Delighted on the successful maiden test firing of Brahmos airlaunched cruise missile. Congratulations to all those associated with this remarkable feat. Narendra Modi, in a tweet.
• India creates a world record and completes Supersonic Cruise Missile Triad Smt @nsitharaman congratulates Team Brahmos & @DRDO_India for this... achievement. Nirmala Sitharaman, In a tweet New Delhi: India successfully launched the world’s fastest supersonic cruise missile from a Sukhoi-30 warplane for the first time against a target in the Bay of Bengal, the defence ministry said on Wednesday.

The 290km-range BrahMos missile, an Indo-Russian joint venture, is now ready for induction into the Indian Air Force (IAF), a top government official said. The specially modified Su-30 fighter took off from the Kalaikunda air base in West Bengal to launch the weapon against a decommissioned boat. “The successful maiden test firing of BrahMos air launched cruise missile (ALCM) from Su-30MKI will significantly bolster the IAF’s air combat operations capability from stand-off ranges,” a statement by the defence ministry said. At least two Su-30 squadrons consisting of 18 planes each are likely to be equipped with the 2.5-tonne missile that flies at nearly three times the speed of sound. The BrahMos missile is the heaviest weapon to be deployed on the Su-30. The missile’s land and naval variants — 500kg heavier than the air launched version — are already in service. BrahMos is now capable of being launched from land, sea and air, completing the tactical cruise missile triad for India, the ministry’s statement said. “Such a capability can be a game changer for any air force in the world,” BrahMos Aerospace CEO Sudhir Mishra told Hindustan Times, shortly after the launch was declared successful. Air-launched missile tests are fraught with risks and dozens of fighters have been lost globally during similar trials. Summing up the significance of the test, the defence ministry said the missile had “created history.” Defence minister Nirmala Sitharaman congratulated India’s military scientists and BrahMos Aerospace for the “outstanding accomplishment.” The newly developed capability has the potential to shift military equilibrium in the region in India’s favour, Mishra told HT in an interview in August 2016. Two Su-30 jets were modified by the Nasik division of the Hindustan Aeronautics Limited to test the air-launched missile. India will soon be deploying an extended range BrahMos missile whose reach has been increased from 290 km to 450 km by tweaking the configuration of the existing weapon. Increasing the missile’s range became possible after India’s induction into the Missile Technology Control Regime (MTCR) in June 2016. A Su-30 flew with an integrated BrahMos missile for the first time in June 2016 and a series of rigorous tests followed to check the weapon’s behaviour during complex supersonic manoeuvres before Wednesday’s maiden launch. Sources said the integration of a missile on the Su-30 fighter had given birth to a formidable strike system with pin-point accuracy and unmatched flexibility by way of long-range and lightening speed.

 In a first, air-launched Brahmos missile test-fired

By Dinakar Peri The missile was gravity dropped from the Su-30MKI from its fuselage, and the two-stage missile’s engine fired up and was propelled towards the intended target in the Bay of Bengal. In a milestone, a BrahMos supersonic cruise missile was on Wednesday fired succesfully for the first time from a Sukhoi-30MKI fighter aircraft of the Indian Air Force. “The successful maiden test-firing of Brahmos Air Launched Cruise Missile (ALCM) from Su-30MKI will significantly bolster the IAF’s air combat operations capability from stand-off ranges,” the Ministry of Defence said in a statement.

The missile was gravity dropped from the Su-30MKI from its fuselage, and the two-stage missile’s engine fired up and was propelled towards the intended target in the Bay of Bengal. Brahmos ALCM, which weighs 2.5 tonnes, is the heaviest weapon to be deployed on India’s Su-30 fighter aircraft. It has a range of 290 km. Completes tactical cruise missile triad “Brahmos, the world class weapon with multi-platform, multi-mission role is now capable of being launched from land, sea and air, completing the tactical cruise missile triad for India,” the statement noted. The land and sea variants of Brahmos are already operational with the Army and the Navy. Recently, the range variants were upgraded from 290 km to 450 km after India joined the Missile Technology Control Regime (MTCR). BrahMos is a joint venture between India and Russia and named after the Brahmaputra and Moscowa rivers. 

BrahMos Successful Sukhoi Test to Boost IAF’s Combat Ops.

Test completes cruise missile triad for India, as it is now capable of being launched from land, sea and air Our Political Bureau New Delhi: The world’s fastest supersonic cruise missile, BrahMos, was on Wednesday successfully flight-tested for the first time from the Indian Air Force’s frontline fighter, Sukhoi 30MKI. The missile was tested against a sea-based target in the Bay of Bengal. The latest test of the multi-platform weapon completes the tactical cruise missile triad for India, as it is now capable of being launched from land, sea and air. The supersonic cruise missile that provides a major strategic deterrence against China and Pakistan can be utilised in ‘multi-mission’ roles, including precision strikes on terror camps across the LoC, against highvalue naval targets, including aircraft carriers and nuclear bunkers. The missile was gravity dropped from the aircraft and the two-stage missile’s engine fired up and propelled it towards the intended target. The first stage of the system takes the missile to supersonic speed and the second accelerates it closer to Mach 3, or three times the speed of sound. Work is ongoing to develop a hypersonic (March 5) version of the missile. “The successful maiden test firing of BrahMos Air Launched Cruise Missile (ALCM) from the Su30MKI will significantly bolster the IAF’s air combat operations capability from stand-off ranges,” the defence ministry said. The air force said the test was a major achievement. This will be a significant capability development for the IAF, which will have the combination of Su-30 fighters having a range of 3,000 km and the BrahMos with 290 km. In March, an extended-range version of the missile, with a flight range of more than 400 km, was successfully test-fired. The BrahMos ALCM weighing 2.5 tonnes is the heaviest weapon to be deployed on the Su-30 fighter aircraft, modified by Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd to carry weapons. BrahMos Aerospace, a joint venture between India’s Defence Research and Development Organisation and NPOM of Russia, is responsible for designing, developing and producing the missile.

BrahMos test fired from Sukhoi jet.

BrahMos is now capable of being launched from land, sea and air, completing the tactical cruise missile triad for India BrahMos, the world’s fastest supersonic cruise missile, made its first successful flight test from the Indian Air Force’s Sukhoi-30MKI fighter jet in the Bay of Bengal on Wednesday. According to a statement by the Defence Ministry, the missile was gravity dropped from the plane’s fuselage, and its two-stage engine fired up and propelled straight towards a sea-based target in the Bay of Bengal.  The successful maiden test firing will significantly bolster the capability of IAF’s air combat operations from stand-off ranges, the statement added. The BrahMos Air Launched Cruise Missile, weighing 2.5 tonnes, is the heaviest weapon to be deployed on India’s Sukhoi-30 fighter aircraft, which was modified by Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd to carry weapons. BrahMos is now capable of being launched from land, sea and air, completing the tactical cruise missile triad for India. The missile has already been inducted in the Navy and the Army, while a submarine-based version has also been tested. It has a flight range of up to 290 km and operates on ‘fire and forget principle’. The airlaunched version of the missile has been developed by BrahMos, a joint venture between India’s DRDO and NPOM of Russia, and has lesser weight and additional rear fins for aerodynamic stability during separation from the aircraft at the time of launch. Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman congratulated “Team Brahmos” and the scientists at DRDO for the “historic achievement”. Dr S Christopher, Chairman of DRDO, congratulated the scientists and engineers for the “excellent text book kind of flight test”.

BrahMos Air Launch Gifts India Cruise Missile Triad With the successful maiden test-firing of BrahMos missile from a fighter jet on Wednesday, India has completed the supersonic cruise missile triad. The Army and the Navy have already inducted these missiles. Given the precision-strike ability of BrahMos, the armed forces can now destroy terrorist hideouts inside enemy territory, aircraft carriers, nuclear command hubs, command and control centres and other military targets from air, land and sea. Once inducted into the IAF after some more trials, India will become the first country in the world to have the capability of launching supersonic missiles which travel at three times the speed of sound from fighter jets. The triad will enable India to protect its area on strategic interest as it faces constant threat from Pakistan and China. Jointly designed and developed by India and Russia, BrahMos can take out a target at a range of more than 290 kms. India joined the 34-nation Missile Technology Control Regime (MTCR) last year, which allows it to increase the range of the supersonic missile to more than 450 kms. The Army and the Navy have already started enhancing the ranges. This range was capped at 300 kms as India was not part of 34-nation MTCR, which bans the proliferation of missiles having a range over 300 kms.