India: BrahMos Missile Test Was Successful

Defence scientists created a world record on Sunday by flight testing the supersonic cruise missile BrahMos off the Orissa coast.

It was for the first time that a cruise missile was tested at supersonic speeds in a steep-dive mode. The missile was test-fired from the integrated test rang launching complex-3 (LC-3) at Chandipur around 11.35 am.

Defence sources said the missile was tested by the armed forces from a mobile autonomous launcher. "The missile took off successfully and hit the desired target, meeting all mission parameters. It was a fantastic launch; a 100% success," said ITR director S P Dash.

A scientist, who witnessed the test, said the advanced version of BrahMos Block-II was test fired this time. "The missile flew in the designated complex trajectory including large manoeuvres and steep dive. This is the first time that a supersonic dive has been realised by a cruise missile," he said.

With this launch, The army's requirement for land attacks with block-II advanced seeker software with target discriminating capabilities has been fully met. This version is ready for induction.

"This will provide an enhanced capability to the user for selection of a particular land target amongst a group of targets. With this, BrahMos has become the only supersonic cruise missile possessing advanced capability, providing an edge to the user with precise hit," said an official.

The missile, which derives its name from the Brahmaputra and Moskova rivers, was developed by an Indo-Russian joint venture after the two countries signed an agreement in February 1998. The 8.4m long missile can hit a target at a distance up to 290km. The missile can travel at three times the speed of sound and carry a conventional warhead weighing 200-300 kg.