The
BrahMos cruise missile, developed by Brahmos Aerospace, an
Indo-Russian joint venture company, is a formidable weapon. Based on
the design of Yakhont supersonic missile from Mashinostroeyenia of
Russia, BrahMos is a stealth supersonic cruise missile, that travels
at speeds between 2.8 Mach to 3 Mach. (2.8 to 3 times the speed of
sound waves propagation.) This missile, weighing 3 tons can fly along
a variable trajectory on the altitudes from 10 meters to 14 Km at
supersonic speeds delivering a payload of 250 Kg over a range of 290
Km.
Since
2007, Indian Army has progressively raised three regiments of
BrahMos Block-II missiles. These are specifically meant to hit a
small target with a low radar cross-section in a cluttered
environment. A new variant known as Block-III version and which has
trajectory maneuver and steep dive capabilities, to take out targets
hidden behind mountain ranges would be main weapon of the 4th BrahMos
regiment, being raised. BrahMos missiles would also be deployed by
the army in the state of Arunachal Pradesh, to counter China's huge
build of military infrastructure all along the 4,057-km Line of
Actual Control. Earlier Government had cleared deployment in the
western sector facing Pakistan. Army's orders for BrahMos missiles
now total up to Rupees 136180 million.
Indian
Navy also has equipped six warships till now, including the latest
stealth frigates with BrahMos missiles. No wonder that this missile
is fast becoming the missile of choice for the army and Navy because
of its sheer lethality and precision strike capabilities.
After
Army and Navy, Indian Air Force now wants to induct this missile to
be launched from its main air dominance fighters, Sukhoi-30MKI.
BrahMos missile with an operating range of 290 Km and cruising speed
of Mach 2.8, (2.8 times speed of sound) is touted to be the best
tactical or non-nuclear missile in its class in the world. It is
supposed to posses nine times more kinetic energy than a sub-sonic
missile.
BrahMos
Aerospace chief A Sivathanu Pillai says that the air-launched version
of BrahMos is lighter by 500 Kg compared to 3 tonne weight of the
Army and Navy variants. The missile launchers, which are ready for
installation and weigh around 300-350 kg, will be fitted on the
fighter's belly. Times of India reports that 42 Sukhois have been
earmarked for structural and software modifications to carry the
air-launched BrahMos missiles and it should take another three
months to perfect the Sukhoi's software and mission computer for the
BrahMos missiles. It is believed that the Air Force order for
air-launched BrahMos missiles is worth Rupees 65160 million.
Indian
Air Force has been progressively basing its Sukhoi-30MKI fighters
both on the western and eastern fronts to add to the dissuasive
posture against Pakistan and China and also in deep south at
Thanjavur in south India to keep "a strategic eye" on the
Indian Ocean region. With the addition of BrahMos missile on board,
it is going to be a formidable weapon.
11th
February 2014
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