Discover

(Redirected from Brahmos)

The 'BrahMos' is a supersonic cruise missile that can be launched from submarines, ships, aircraft or land. It is a joint venture between India's Defense Research and Development Organization and Russia's NPO Mashinostroeyenia who have together formed the Brahmos Corp. Propulsion is based on the Russian Yakhont missile, and guidance has been developed by Brahmos Corp. At speeds of Mach 2.5 to 2.8, is about three times faster than the American subsonic Tomahawk cruise missile.

Contents

Development and Manufacture

Capability

Operators

Technical specifications

Brahmos 2

Notes

See also

References

External links

Development and Manufacture

The BrahMos has been developed as a joint venture between the Defence Research and Development Organization (DRDO) of India and the Federal State Unitary Enterprise NPO Mashinostroyenia (NPOM) of Russia under BrahMos Aerospace. The missile is named after two rivers, the Brahmaputra and the Moskva.

Capability

BrahMos claims to have the capability of attacking surface targets as low as 10 meters in altitude. It can gain a speed of Mach 2.8, and has a maximum range of 290 km. The ship-launched and land-based missiles can carry a 200 kg warhead, whereas the aircraft-launched variant (BrahMos A) can carry a 300 kg warhead. It has a two-stage propulsion system, with a solid-propellant rocket for initial acceleration and a liquid-fueled ramjet responsible for sustained supersonic cruise. Air-breathing ramjet propulsion is much more fuel-efficient than rocket propulsion, giving the BrahMos a longer range than a pure rocket-powered missile would achieve. The high speed of the BrahMos enables it to inflict more damage than slower cruise missiles such as the Tomahawk.^[1] Being twice as heavy and almost four times faster than the Tomahawk, the Brahmos has almost 16 times the kinetic energy of a Tomahawk missiles, which ensures far more lethal hits than a subsonic missile.
Although BrahMos is primarily an anti-ship missile, it can also engage land based targets. It can be launched either in a vertical or inclined position and is capable of covering targets over a 360 degree horizon. The BrahMos missile has an identical configuration for land, sea, and sub-sea platforms. The air-launched version has a smaller booster and additional tail fins for added stability during launch. The BrahMos is currently being configured for aerial deployment with the Su-30MKI as its carrier.

Operators

India and Russia intend to make 1,000 BrahMos supersonic cruise missiles over the next ten years through their joint venture company, and nearly 50 percent of them are expected to be sold to other countries.^[2]
===Indian Navy===
The missile is in service with the Indian Navy. The missile is fitted on the Rajput class of destroyers. The submarine launched version of the missile is ready for testing. The missile will be either tested on a Kilo class submarine of the Indian Navy or will be tested in Russia.^[3]
===Indian Army===
The missile was successfully tested with new capabilities for the Indian Army in the deserts of Rajasthan. It was inducted into the army on June 212007^[4][5].
===Indian Air Force===
The air launched version for the Indian Air Force is under development. An expert committee from the DRDO and the Indian Air Force (IAF) has ruled out any structural modification to the advanced Su-30MKI if it is to be fitted with the supersonic BrahMos.^[6]

Technical specifications

★ Length 8.4 m

★ Diameter 0.6 m

★ Launch Weight 3000 kg (2500 kg for Air launched Variant)

★ Warhead 300 kg Conventional semi-armour-piercing warhead

★ Range 290 km

★ Propulsion Two-stage integrated rocket/ramjet concept

Brahmos 2

BAPL is contemplating a hypersonic mach 8 version of the missile, named as the Brahmos 2. Brahmos 2 will be the first hypersonic cruise missile and is expected to be ready by 2012-13.^[7]
Another, longer ranged variant is also being considered, although joint development would not be possible, since Russia is a signatory to the MTCR.

Notes

# The publicized maximum range was determined partly by Russia's and India's desire to avoid a perceived breach of the Missile Technology Control Regime (MTCR), which restricts technology transfer relating to missiles with a range longer than 300 km, and other proliferation rules - even though India is not a signatory to the said treaty.^[8]

See also

★ Agni missile

★ Prithvi missile

★ Dhanush (missile)

★ Sagarika

References

1. Cruise Control
2. http://www.mosnews.com/news/2006/07/21/thousandmissiles.shtml
3. India gearing up for BrahMos submarine tests
4. Indian Army commissions BrahMos cruise missiles
5. Delivery of BrahMos cruise missiles to Indian Army begins
6. http://www.bharat-rakshak.com/NEWS/newsrf.php?newsid=7856
7. BrahMos to develop first hypersonic cruise missile in 5 years
8. PJ-10 BrahMos – At Globalsecurity.org, retrieved June 2005

External links

★ Brahmos official website

★ The Brahmastra

★ The IT in India’s cruise missile

★ BrahMos specification – At India Defence

★ BrahMos production status

★ Article about BrahMos

★ Indian Army To Get World's First Supersonic Cruise Missiles (SpaceDaily:SpaceWar) Jul 26, 2006

★ Effect of Brahmos hit on a Petya class frigate

★ Supersonic cruise missile BrahMos inducted into Indian defense forces - Govt. of India press release - 29 Nov 2006

★ Brahmos video