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The Defence Minister Shri AK Antony has favoured more BrahMos-type cooperation with industry to develop world class defence products for the country.
Speaking to a large number of scientists, industrialists and service personnel from both Russia and India after his maiden visit to the missile centre here today, Shri Antony said the fastest supersonic cruise missile BrahMos has given a boost to the country's defence preparedness with its speed, precision and power.
He desired the quick development of the air version of the missile for its early induction into the Indian Air Force. The Indian Army and the Indian Navy have already accepted the missile for induction and placed the order for production. The serial production of the missile has already started.
The Defence Minister spent over two hours at the BrahMos Aerospace Complex in the capital and was briefed by its Chief Dr A Shivathanu Pillai, Joint Managing Director Mr. Alexander Maksichev and other top scientists. A large number of senior officials and technologists including Vice Chief of Air Staff Air Marshal Gokhale, Director General Artillery Lt Gen AS Bajwa, representatives from the Russian Embassy, senior officers of the three services and captains of various public and private industries involved in the project were present on the occasion.
Shri Antony visited the BrahMos exposition, where he was shown and briefed about the technological complexity and the superiority of this world's best supersonic cruise missile. Among the notable features in the exposition, which caught Shri Antony's interest, where the displays depicting the long association of India and Russia in various fields.
The Minister was particularly impressed at the capabilities of this missile to be launched from land, sea, sub-sea and air. He was given a video demonstration of all the past missile firings. The Minister also visited the BrahMos technology exhibition to witness the full scale missile hardware and acquainted himself with the process of missile integration, for which, elaborate facilities have been established at Hyderabad. The BrahMos design team briefed him on the major plans currently being undertaken by them and also the future plans.
BrahMos the world's best supersonic cruise missile has evolved out of the joint efforts of Indian and Russian scientists, under the joint venture company BrahMos Aerospace, DRDO of India and NPO Mashinostroyenia of Russia along with a consortium of Indian and Russian industries. The company came into existence consequent to an Inter-Governmental agreement signed between the two countries in Feb. 1998. The acronym BrahMos is perceived as the confluence of two great nations represented by two great rivers, the fury of River Brahmaputra of India and the grace of River Moscowa of Russia. The aim is to design, develop, produce and market the Supersonic Cruise Missile, BrahMos.
The world has been dominated all along by subsonic cruise missile due to their capability and universality of being launched from different platforms, low altitude and precision attack capabilities. Supersonic cruise missiles have the advantage of speed and higher kinetic energy on impact ensuring lethal effect giving virtually no time to the enemy to react. The future therefore lies in supersonic cruise missile. Seeing the opportunity India has straight away leapfrogged in the area of missile technology by going in for the development of a supersonic cruise missile taking advantage of the development effort in Russia in the Ramjet engine technology through the joint venture partnership.
The missile can fly at 2.8 times the speed of sound. It can carry warheads up to 200 kg in weight and has a maximum range of 290 km. The missile is capable of being launched from multiple platforms based on land, sea, sub-sea and air. The modular design of the missile and its capability of being launched at different orientations enables it to be integrated with a wide spectrum of platforms like warships, submarines, different types of aircraft. Mobile Autonomous Launcher and silos.
The company started its activities in the year 1998. The capabilities of the missile have been demonstrated in twelve successive successful flight tests starting from June 2001. Combat firing of the missile have been conducted in April 2005.
Large amount of potential exists for export of the missile. Various countries have shown their interests for purchase of the missile. Due to high performance of the product, BrahMos will have the competitive edge in the world market.
