Date:01/12/2005 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2005/12/01/stories/2005120107401200.htm

National

Army version of BrahMos test-fired

T.S. Subramanian

Impacts the sea about 290 km away

CHENNAI: The Army version of supersonic cruise missile BrahMos was test-fired from the Interim-Test-Range at Chandipur-on-sea, Orissa, on Wednesday.

This is the successful 11th flight of the missile, jointly developed by India and Russia.

The missile took off from a mobile launcher and impacted the waters about 290 km away. It was in the user-configuration and met the mission requirements, sources said.

A land-to-sea test-firing was conducted on June 13, 2004 from the Interim-Test-Range.

On December 21, 2004, a land-to-land version was test-fired at the Pokhran desert range in Rajasthan. The BrahMos proved its control and guidance systems that day.

The naval version had been inducted and its production is on. A vessel is being readied for the purpose.

The Air Force version is to be developed soon following approval by both governments. The version will be integrated with the Sukhoi-30 MKI (Mark India).

The eight-metre long BrahMos is essentially an anti-ship missile.