BrahMos
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| BrahMos | |
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 BrahMos and the launch canister on display at the International Maritime Defence Show, IMDS-2007, St. Petersburg, Russia |
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| Type | Cruise missile |
| Place of origin |  India /  Russia |
| Service history | |
| In service | November 2006 |
| Production history | |
| Manufacturer | Joint venture, Federal State Unitary Enterprise NPO Mashinostroeyenia (Russia) and Defense Research and Development Organization (BrahMos Corp, India) |
| Unit cost | US$ 2.3 million[citation needed] |
| Specifications | |
| Weight | 3000 kg 2500 kg (air-launched) |
| Length | 8.4 m |
| Diameter | 0.6 m |
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| Warhead | 300 kg Conventional semi-armour-piercing |
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| Engine | Two-stage integrated Rocket/Ramjet |
| Operational range |
290 km |
| Speed | Mach 2.5-2.8 |
| Launch platform |
Ship, submarine, aircraft and land-based mobile launchers. |
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BrahMos is a supersonic cruise missile that can be launched from submarines, ships, aircraft or land. The acronym BrahMos is perceived as the confluence of the two nations represented by two great rivers, the Brahmaputra of India and the Moskva of Russia. 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 and a half times faster than the American subsonic Harpoon cruise missile.
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[edit] 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.
Between late 2004 and early 2008, the missile has undergone several tests from variety of platforms including a land based test from Pokhran desert, in which the S maneuver at Mach 2.8 was demonstrated for the Indian Army and a launch in which the land attack capability from sea was demonstrated.[1]
[edit] Description
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.[citation needed]
The high speed of the BrahMos likely gives it better target-penetration characteristics than lighter subsonic cruise-missiles such as the Tomahawk.[2] Being twice as heavy and almost four times faster than the Tomahawk, the BrahMos has almost 32 times the initial kinetic energy of a Tomahawk missile (although it pays for this by having only 3/5 the payload and a fraction of the range despite weighting twice as much, suggesting a different tactical paradigm).
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.
[edit] 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 exported to friendly countries.[3]
[edit] 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.[4] The land attack version of the missile was fired from Destroyer INS Rajput and the missile hits and destroys the right target among a group of targets.[5]
[edit] 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 21, 2007[6][7].
[edit] 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.[8]
[edit] 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.[9] The laboratory testing of the missile has started.[10]
Another, longer ranged variant is also being considered, although joint development would not be possible, since Russia is a signatory to the MTCR.
[edit] 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.[11]
[edit] See also
[edit] References
- ^ BrahMos cruise missile test fired from naval ship. Retrieved on 2008-03-05.
- ^ Cruise Control
- ^ Mosnews.com
- ^ India gearing up for BrahMos submarine tests
- ^ BrahMos naval version tested successfully
- ^ Indian Army commissions BrahMos cruise missiles
- ^ Delivery of BrahMos cruise missiles to Indian Army begins
- ^ :: Bharat-Rakshak.com - Indian Military News Headlines ::
- ^ BrahMos to develop first hypersonic cruise missile in 5 years
- ^ Hypersonic BrahMos undergoes successful lab test
- ^ PJ-10 BrahMos – At Globalsecurity.org, retrieved June 2005
[edit] External links
- BrahMos Missile official website
- The Brahmastra
- The IT in India’s cruise missile
- BrahMos specification – At India Defence
- BrahMos production status
- Features and advantages of the BrahMos supersonic missile. INFOgraphics
- 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
- First test of BrahMos land-attack variant from the sea
