BrahMos Missile Tested In Salvo Mode

The Indian Navy has successfully conducted a test-firing of the Brahmos supersonic cruise missile, in salvo mode, from Talwar-class ship INS Trikand (F51).

Defence Research & Development Organisation (DRDO) official was quoted as saying by the Press Trust of India (PTI), "For the first time, the Brahmos cruise missile was fired in salvo mode from the Russian-built warship off the coast of Karnataka with an interval of three seconds off the coast of Goa."

The official said that in salvo mode, eight 290km-range cruise missiles can be fired in future.

The missile has been developed by BrahMos Aerospace, a joint venture between India's Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) and NPO Mashinostroeyenia of Russia.

Based on the Russian-built P-800 Oniks / Yakhont supersonic anti-ship cruise missile, the 290km-range weapon has a speed of 2.8Mach and can be launched from land, naval and air platforms.

BrahMos ground and ship-launched variants have been successfully inducted into service with the Indian Army and Navy, while the Indian Air Force (IAF) is planning to equip Sukhoi SU-30MKI Flanker-H aircraft with aircraft-launched variant, BrahMos A.

Featuring a fire control system, with high salvo launch capability and enhanced with an inertial navigation system, the ship-launched missile system can be deployed on frigates, corvettes, offshore patrol vessels and other types of vessels to attack sea and land-based targets.

To date, the Indian Army has placed orders for the Brahmos missile for three regiments, of which two of them have already been inducted operationally.