India successfully test-fires the naval version of BrahMos missile

Context

On October 18, the naval version of the BrahMos supersonic cruise missile was successfully test-fired from INS Chennai in the Arabian Sea.

Key highlights 

• The naval version of the BrahMos supersonic cruise missile was successfully test-fired from Indian Navy's indigenous stealth destroyer- INS Chennai in the Arabian Sea.

• It did hit the target with pin-point accuracy after performing “extremely complex” manoeuvres.

• As a prime strike weapon, BrahMos will ensure the invincibility of the warship by engaging long-range naval surface targets, making the destroyer another lethal Indian Navy platform.

• The supersonic cruise missile that can be launched from submarines, ships, aircraft or from land platforms is produced by BrahMos Aerospace, an India-Russia joint venture.

About BrahMos missile

• BRAHMOS is the 1st supersonic cruise missile known to be in service.

• It was developed as a joint venture of the Defence Research Development Organization (DRDO) and NPO Mashinostroyenia (NPOM) of Russia. 

• The missile has been named after the rivers Brahmaputra and Moskva. 

• The flight range of the missile is up to 290-km with supersonic speed all through the flight.

• Stealth technology and guidance system with advanced embedded software provides the missile with special features. 

• BRAHMOS is a two-stage missile with a solid propellant booster engine as its first stage which brings it to supersonic speed and then gets separated. 

• The liquid ramjet or the second stage then takes the missile closer to 3 Mach speed in cruise phase. 

• It operates on ‘Fire and Forget Principle’, adopting varieties of flights on its way to the target.

• Its destructive power is enhanced due to large kinetic energy on impact. 

• The cruising altitude could be up to 15 km and terminal altitude is as low as 10 meters. 

• It carries a conventional warhead weighing from 200 to 300 kilograms.

• The missile has identical configuration for land, sea and sub-sea platforms. 

• The missile uses a Transport Launch Canister for transportation, storage and launch.