http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/2004/11/04/stories/2004110402820400.htm
BrahMos anti-ship missile tested
M. Somasekhar
Hyderabad , Nov. 3
THE Naval version of the supersonic cruiser missile BrahMos was successfully tested for the eighth time in a row by Indian defence scientists from the Interim Test Range (ITR), Balasore today.
The anti-ship version of BrahMos missile launched from a Naval warship hit the target – a decommissioned ship – setting it on fire, the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of BrahMos, Dr Sivathanu Pillai, said.
“The major achievements of the tests were the mid-course manoeuvrability of the missile and the advanced fire control systems, which functioned 100 per cent,” Dr Pillai told Business Line over telephone from Balasore.
With today’s test timed at 11.17 a.m., the development phase of a naval target missile launched from a ship platform has been completed and all the requirements needed to prove its capability for the user demonstrated.
The high manoeuvrability demonstrated dispels a myth in the missile community that the supersonic range of missiles cannot be manoeuvred. In war scenarios such versatility is required and gives tactical advantage to the user, he said.
The Indian Navy has already placed a Letter of Interest (LOI) for the production of the missile, he said.
BrahMos, an Indo-Russian missile consortium, with research institutes and industry participating from both countries, has already begun the production of this 290-km range anti-ship missile and the induction would start on schedule in 2005, the CEO said.
The next phase of trials for the BrahMos missile would be for hitting land targets, especially from a ship and surface-to-surface,land-to-land, which would be taken up soon, Dr Pillai said. 😉
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