Brahmos missile to be tested in Baltic Sea

Brahmos, the Indian-Russian joint venture cruise missile, will be tested in the Baltic sea for the first time. So far all tests have been held in India. The trials will held later this year on a stealth frigate. The test is intended to equip the Talwar class frigate which India is buying from Russia and due for delivery in 2011. The vertical launcher and fire control system of the missile have been shipped to Kalinigrad in Russia for the trials, Dr. A Sivathanu Pillai CEO, Brahmos told the prin show daily during defexpo 2010. Meanwhile, groundwork is being prepared for the air-launched version of the Brahmos cruise missile by equipping a Sukhoi 30 MKI of the IAF. The air launch will launch range and power to the already leathal missile, Pillai said. The trials are scheduled in 2011. A new take-off engine to launch the missile from the air is also in the pipeline. Another development is of the successful test and induction of the land attack version of the Brahmos missile which can hit precison targets with a few meters radius accuracy. Thnis missile was especially developed for the Indian Army. Brahmos is expanding its manufacturing facilities- a new facility is planned in Rajasthan to meet growing product demand. The order book of Brahmos stands at 2000 missiles over the next 10 years. To stay ahead in the race for the world missile market, Brahmos would be developing a hypersonic version of the missile with a velocity upto Mach 7. A scramjet engine development facility is planned for the purpose.