Brahmos missile successfully test-fired, demonstrating viability of various new indigenous systems

The Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) claimed the Brahmos Supersonic Cruise Missile was test-fired from the Integrated Test Range (ITR) off the coast of Odisha on Thursday morning, validating many new indigenous systems.

The DRDO said, "BrahMos supersonic cruise missile with increased indigenous content and improved performance was successfully test fired at 10.30 am from Integrated Test Range, Chandipur off the coast of Odisha on January 20. The launch was conducted by Brahmos Aerospace in close coordination with DRDO teams. In this text book flight, the missile followed the predicted trajectory meeting all mission objectives."

The agency further said, "The flight test is a major milestone in the way forward for BrahMos programme. The highly maneuverable missile cruised at supersonic speed for its maximum range and all mission objectives were met. The missile was equipped with the advanced indigenous technologies and followed a modified optimal trajectory for enhanced efficiency and improved performance. The missile with the modified control system has been fine tuned to achieve an enhanced capability."

The launch on Thursday comes just days after the Indian Navy's recently commissioned INS Visakhapatnam on the Western seaboard successfully test-fired an extended range Sea to Sea variant of the BrahMos Supersonic Cruise Missile on January 11.

BrahMos missiles, named after the Brahmaputra and Moskva rivers, are designed, developed, and manufactured by BrahMos Aerospace, a joint venture corporation established by India's DRDO and Russia's NPOM. In 2001, the original version of Brahmos was tested for the first time. Since then, other varieties of the BrahMos have been developed and successfully tested, including ones that can be fired from land, warships, submarines, and Sukhoi-30 fighter planes.

The Air version of the BrahMos supersonic cruise missile was successfully test launched from the Indian Air Force's frontline fighter aircraft Sukhoi-30 MKI on December 8, 2016, paving the way for the system's serial manufacture in India.