India on Sunday efficiently check fired the BrahMos supersonic cruise missile from the indigenously-built stealth destroyer INS Chennai, with the weapon hitting a pre-designated goal within the Arabian Sea, the defence ministry mentioned in a press release.
The 290-km vary missile — an Indo-Russian three way partnership — has land, air and naval variants.
“The missile hit the goal with pin-point accuracy after performing high-level and very advanced manoeuvres. BrahMos as prime strike weapon will make sure the warship’s invincibility by partaking naval floor targets at lengthy ranges, thus making the destroyer one other deadly platform of Indian Navy,” it mentioned.
The missile has a prime velocity of Mach 2.8 — almost 3 times the velocity of sound.
Defence minister Rajnath Singh congratulated the Defence Analysis and Growth Organisation, BrahMos and the Indian Navy for the profitable launch.
India has test-fired a string of weapons over the past two months within the midst of the continuing tensions with China within the delicate Ladakh sector.
Sunday’s check got here days after India test-fired an extended-range BrahMos supersonic cruise missile that may hit targets 400 km away. The vary has been elevated from the present 290 km. The extended-range variant was examined from the Built-in Take a look at Vary at Balasore in Odisha on September 30.
The configuration of the present missile — the world’s quickest supersonic cruise missile — has been tweaked to reinforce its vary. Growing the missile’s vary turned doable after India’s induction into the Missile Expertise Management Regime (MTCR) in June 2016.
Commissioned into the navy in November 2016, the 7,500-tonne INS Chennai incorporates new design ideas for improved survivability, stealth and manoeuvrability. The warship can carry 16 BrahMos missiles in two eight-cell vertical launch methods, apart from different refined weapons and sensors, officers mentioned.
Different weapons lately examined by India embrace a brand new model of the nuclear-capable hypersonic Shaurya missile with a variety of 750 km and the anti-radiation missile to take down enemy radars and surveillance methods.
