BrahMos Missile: India’s Key Defense Export
-
- Context: Following Vietnam, the Union Defense Secretary has announced that an agreement to export India’s state-of-the-art BrahMos supersonic cruise missiles (missiles traveling faster than the speed of sound) to Indonesia has reached its final stages.
- In 2022, the Philippines signed a contract with India to acquire BrahMos missiles worth approximately $375 million.
- This earned the Philippines the distinction of being the first foreign nation to acquire this missile system.
- In this context, it is noteworthy that Indonesia is now set to join this list, following in the footsteps of Vietnam.
The BrahMos Missile
-
- BrahMos is a long-range, supersonic cruise missile capable of being launched from land, sea, and air platforms, and is capable of carrying nuclear warheads.
- It is one of the fastest cruise missiles in the world, capable of reaching speeds of up to Mach 3.
-
- This missile was jointly developed by India’s Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) and Russia’s NPOM; it was successfully test-fired for the first time in 2001.
- The name “BrahMos” is derived from the Brahmaputra River in India and the Moskva River in Russia.
- This missile has already been inducted into the Indian Armed Forces and is currently operational.
- Its high maneuverability and unpredictable flight path make it extremely difficult for enemy missile defense systems to intercept.
Key Features
-
- It features an advanced guidance system equipped with stealth technology and sophisticated onboard software.
- Operates on the principle of “fire-and-forget,” requiring no further guidance after launch.
- Maintains supersonic speed throughout its flight, reaching speeds of up to Mach 3.
-
- Offers a long operational range with multiple flight path options.
- Enhances survivability due to its low radar cross-section.
- Features a short flight time, enabling rapid strikes against targets and minimizing enemy reaction time.
- Delivers high-precision strikes with significant destructive capability.
- Carries a conventional warhead weighing between 200 and 300 kilograms.
