All about BrahMos — the long-range supersonic cruise precision-strike missile
Virtually inaugurating a production facility for the BrahMos supersonic cruise missile established at Lucknow on Sunday, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said that it will strengthen India’s efforts towards self-reliance in defence and also contribute to the socio-economic development of the region by generating significant direct and indirect employment.
He said, BrahMos is not just one of the world’s fastest supersonic cruise missiles, but a message of the strength of the Indian Armed Forces, a message of deterrence to adversaries, and a message of the nation’s unwavering commitment to safeguarding its borders. Operation Sindoor, he added, was not just a military action, but a symbol of India’s political, social and strategic willpower.
While the Ministry of Defence has not issued any details of the weapon systems and platforms employed in Operation Sindoor, the ongoing precision strike campaign to strike targets in Pakistan in response to the terrorist attack that killed 26 persons at Pahalgam, there have been speculations that BrahMos was used to strike Pakistani airbases on May 10.
During the inaugural function, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister, Yogi Adityanath reportedly said, “You must have seen a glimpse of the BrahMos missile during Operation Sindoor. If you didn’t, then just ask the people of Pakistan about its power."
Powered by a ramjet engine, BrahMos is a precision-strike missile designed for day-and-night operations in all weather conditions that can be launched from land, sea and air. It’s different variants have a range of 250-800 km and can be armed with different types of warheads, including nuclear, weighing up to 300 kg.
A speed of Mach 3, sea skimming capabilities, inertial and satellite navigation along with active radar homing and a circular error probability of just about a meter, makes the missile a potent weapon system in different operational environments.
Also known as the PJ-10, BrahMos is a joint venture between the Indian Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) and the Russian Federation’s NPO Mashinostroyeniya, a rocket design establishment. The name BrahMos has been coined from the names of two rivers, the Brahmaputra in India and the Moskva in Russia. It has been displayed on numerous occasions at India’s Republic Day parade as well as defence shows in India and overseas.
BrahMos is capable of being launched from land, air and sea, and is at present in service with all three services. Besides canisters on heavy-duty multi-axel trucks, it has been integrated with the Indian Air Force’s Su-30 multi-role fighter as well as on frontline warships of the Indian Navy.
The Indian Army raised its first BrahMos Regiment, 861 Missile Regiment in June 2007. The Army is now reported to have four BrahMos regiments — each meant for operations in different geographical terrains. Additional regiments are said to be in the pipeline.
The IAF is reported to have modified 40 Su-30 aircraft to launch the Brahmos. Tehmissiel is carried on the aircraft’s centreline hard point under the fuselage. Another 80 aircraft are expected to be modified to launch this missile.
Many of the Navy’s destroyers and frigates have been equipped with the BrahMos, which would be the prime strike weapon. Different variants with the Navy include anti-ship and land attack versions as well as a submarine launched version.
The facility at Lucknow, spread over 80 hectares, is designed to manufacture 80 to 100 BrahMos missiles annually, which will be later scaled up to produce 100 to 150 missiles every year. The first production unit was set up by its manufacturer, BrahMos Aerospace Limited, Hyderabad, followed by another at Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala.
Newer variants of the missile are also being developed, which would have different physical specifications and operational parameters such as weight, range and warheads, as well as upgraded guidance systems.
India