India successfully tests extended range BrahMos supersonic cruise missile

Balasore: India successfully test-fired the advanced version of the supersonic BrahMos cruise missile on Wednesday. The strike range of the BrahMos missile has been increased in the advanced version, and now it can hit a target up to 400 kilometres with precision. India has deployed BrahMos, Akash and Nirbhay missiles on the Ladakh border in view of the tension with China. Testing of the BrahMos in these circumstances becomes significant. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh congratulated the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) on successful testing of the advanced BrahMos missile.

DRDO successfully tested the advanced version of the BrahMos missile with an extended strike range at Balasore in Odisha at 10.30 hours on Wednesday. This is the second test of the extended range BrahMos missile. The strike range has been increased from 290 kilometres to 400 kilometres in the advanced version.

The airframe and booster of this missile, capable of nearly Mach 3 speeds, are indigenously developed. This missile has been developed jointly by the DRDO and the Russian company NPOM, and this is the first time the missile has been test-fired with indigenous boosters. This ultramodern version of BrahMos can be launched from warships, submarines and fighter jets, along with land.

BrahMos is the most modern and lethal missile of India and is considered to be the fastest in the supersonic missiles in the world. BrahMos can be used for air-to-air and air-to-surface strikes. The peculiarity of the missile is that this can also be launched from the Sukhoi Su-30MKI fighter jets.

All the three wings of the Indian defence forces have BrahMos missiles. The strength of the defence forces will be augmented with the successful testing of the extended range version of the missile. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh congratulated the DRDO on successful testing of the BrahMos supersonic cruise missile. He exuded confidence by saying, ‘This achievement will provide an impetus to the Atmanirbhar Bharat campaign’.