BrahMos ready for launch from submarines

New Delhi, Apr 19 (PTI) The Indo-Russian joint venture
BrahMos cruise missile is ready for launch from underwater
platform to enable it to be used in a submarine, the Lower
House of Parliament was informed Monday.

India's Defence Minister A K Antony, in a written reply,
told the Lok Sabha (Lower House) that the missile, which can
hit targets 290 km away, had recently proved its capability to
be launched vertically from a naval warship and manoeuvred to
hit the target ship, thereby meeting the Navy's requirements.
BrahMos, the world's only supersonic cruise missile that
touches speeds of 2.8 Mach, was developed initially as an
anti-ship version for launch from ship-to-ship for the Indian
Navy and inducted into service, he said.
Later, land-to-land version was developed for the Indian
Army and Air Force, he said, noting that this version was
already inducted into the Army and is under production for
both the Army and Air Force.
Antony said test was also carried out from ship-to-land
target recently.
The air version of the missile was under development for
Su-30MKI fighter jet of the Indian Air Force (IAF), which
would be ready in 2012.
"Some parts of the missile components and the airborne
launcher are currently being produced in Thiruvananthapuram
complex of BrahMos Aerospace. It is planned to set up the
integration complex in the adjacent land belonging to IAF, so
that the manufacturing of the missile can be from the
Thiruvananthapuram complex," he added.
The Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO)
has recently provided Rs 50 crore as the first instalment for
the facility realisation. PTI NCB