BrahMos missile successfully test-fired at nearly 3X speed of sound
What's the story
India on Wednesday successfully test-fired the BrahMos supersonic cruise missile from the Integrated Test Range (ITR) at Chandipur. The surface-to-surface missile features an indigenous booster and airframe section along with many other 'Made in India' sub-systems, the Ministry of Defence said in a statement. The missile flew at Mach 2.8 or nearly three times the speed of sound. Here are more details.
Test run
Missile test conducted at 10:30 am
The BrahMos missile was tested at 10:30 am on Wednesday, the Ministry said. The version tested was a BrahMos Land-Attack Cruise Missile (LACM). The missile, which has a strike range of over 400 km, was cruising at a top speed of Mach 2.8. "All the parameters were met during the trial," a DRDO official told PTI.
Missile
BrahMos considered world's fastest supersonic cruise missile
BrahMos is a two-stage missile with a solid propellant booster engine as its first stage which brings it to supersonic speed and gets separated, according to BrahMos Aerospace Ltd. The liquid ramjet or the second stage propels it closer to Mach 3 in the cruise phase. The missile—considered the world's fastest supersonic cruise missile—is already operational with the Indian Army, Navy, and Air Force.
Quote
'Another major step in enhancing indigenous content'
The Defense Ministry said, "It is one more major step in enhancing the indigenous content." It said the trial has "paved the way for the serial production of the indigenous booster and other indigenous components of the powerful BrahMos Weapon System realizing the Atmanirbhar Bharat pledge." Defense Minister Rajanath Singh also congratulated BrahMos and the Defense Research and Development Organization after the test run.
Twitter Post
You can view Singh's tweet here
Congratulations to Team @DRDO_India and @BrahMosMissile for the successful flight testing of #BRAHMOS Supersonic Cruise Missile with Indigenous Booster and Air Frame for designated range.
— Rajnath Singh (@rajnathsingh) September 30, 2020
This achievement will give a big boost to India’s #AtmaNirbharBharat Pledge. pic.twitter.com/39YuAcemed
History
First extended version of BrahMos successfully tested in March 2017
The first extended version of the BrahMos missile, which had a strike range of 450 km, was successfully tested on March 11, 2017. A shorter range land version of BrahMos was successfully test-fired from the same Chandipur facility on September 30 last year. It has been jointly developed by the DRDO and leading Russian aerospace enterprise NPOM.