Updated: November 24, 2020 4:48:41 pm
The BrahMos supersonic cruise missile was launched in a superior attack configuration on November 24.
On Tuesday, the Indian Army successfully launched its BrahMos supersonic cruise missile in a ‘top attack’ configuration, hitting a target in the Bay of Bengal, in what is said to be the first in a series of tests of the missiles.
The launch by the Army comes a month after the The naval version of the BrahMos missile was successfully tested. from the locally built INS Chennai stealth destroyer hitting a target in the Arabian Sea. The Indian Navy and Air Force expect more tests of supersonic cruise missiles in the coming days.
Posting the video of the test, the Pune-based Indian Army Southern Command tweeted: “The Indian Army successfully launched its BrahMos supersonic cruise missile on 24 November in a superior attack configuration, reaching a target in the Bay of Bengal with an accuracy pin. “The test was conducted from the Andaman and Nicobar Archipelago.
The Indian Army successfully launched its BrahMos supersonic cruise missile on November 24, 2020 in a superior attack configuration, hitting a target in the Bay of Bengal with pinpoint accuracy.# Indian Army#Command @DRDO_India#Southwarriors#BrahMosMissile@adgpi pic.twitter.com/vec6Txdqgo
– INDIAN ARMY of the Southern Command (@IaSouthern) November 24, 2020
Most modern missiles, including Brahmos, can be fired in both top attack and direct attack modes. In top attack mode, the missile is required to rise sharply after launch and travel to a certain altitude, then dive to the top of the target. In direct attack mode, the missile travels at a lower altitude and directly hits the target.
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While versions of the Brahmos missile have been in India’s arsenal for a long time, the weapons system is continually tested to examine its hardware and software systems. In each of these tests of a specific Brahmos variant, different parameters are examined. The current supersonic version can reach the speed of 2.8 times that of sound (2.8 Mach). A hypersonic version of the missile is under development, capable of reaching the speed of Mach 5.
The test was conducted from the Andaman and Nicobar archipelago, and reached a target in the Bay of Bengal.
A fusion of the Brahmaputra and Moskva river names, the Brahmos missiles are designed, developed and produced by Brahmos Aerospace, a joint venture created by the Defense Research and Development Organization (DRDO) and the Russian rocket design bureau Mashinostroyenia. . Various versions of the Brahmos, including those that can be fired from land, warships, submarines, and Sukhoi-30 fighter jets, have been tested successfully in the past.
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A press release from the Indian Army read: “On November 24, at approximately 1003 hours IST, the Indian Army conducted a successful test of a BrahMos land attack cruise missile using a mobile autonomous launcher (MAL ) from the Car Nicobar Islands against a designated target located within a range of approximately 200 kilometers in the Bay of Bengal. During this successful test launch, the missile demonstrated the weapon’s unmatched lethality and formidable precision strike capabilities. “
The statement added: “The ground attack version of the BrahMos capable of cruising at a speed of 2.8 Mach, is the forefront of the Indian Army since 2007. The current Block III version of the missile has successfully executed four operational launches in the past. With the enhanced capability, the missile can hit targets up to 400 km away with precision. The launch marks the achievement of a critical milestone in enhancing India’s ability to strike vital enemy targets in deep areas. The launch was witnessed by several dignitaries who praised the commendable effort shown during the successful execution of the launch.
© The Indian Express (P) Ltd
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