Brahmos Missile Test Validates Indian Destroyer INS Kochi’s Systems

The Brahmos cruise missile was successfully tested from Indian Navy’s newest stealth destroyer INS Kochi.

The second of Project 15A “Kolkata-class” guided missile destroyer test fired the missile as part of an acceptance test during a naval drill being conducted on off India’s west coast.

“The world’s fastest cruise missile, after performing high-level and extremely complex manoeuvres, successfully hit a decommissioned target ship ‘Alleppey’ located at nearly full range of the missile (290-km) with high precision,” a Brahmos Aerospace statement said today.

“After two successful test trials from INS Kolkata in June 2014 and February 2015, today’s test firing from the follow-on INS Kochi has validated the newly-commissioned ship's systems,” the statement added.

“Brahmos as the prime strike weapon will ensure the warship’s invincibility by engaging naval surface targets at long ranges,” Sudhir Mishra, CEO & MD of BrahMos Aerospace, confirmed.

The Navy commissioned INS Kochi on September 30, 2015. The 7,500-ton indigenously developed warship incorporates new design concepts for improved survivabilit, stealth, sea-keeping and manoeuvrability.

It can carry 16 Brahmos missiles in two 8-cell vertical launch systems, besides other sophisticated weapons and sensors.

Brahmos missile has a supersonic speed of Mach 2.8, a very low-cruising altitude of 10 meters at terminal phase and pin-point strike accuracy.