BrahMos, Supersonic Cruise Missile, successfully flight-tested at Pokhran

In a 'Make in India' achievement, India on Thursday successfully test-fired the BrahMos supersonic cruise missile with an indigenous seeker at Pokhran test range in Rajasthan. 

Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said the missile hit the target with "pin-point" accuracy and the success will further bolster India's national security.

Here are the key highlights of the BrahMos cruise missile test:

1. The BrahMos cruise missile test today was conducted with a made in India indigenous seeker. 
2. The test firing comes three months after the BrahMos cruise missile was successfully test fired for the first time from the Indian Air Force's frontline Sukhoi-30 MKI combat jet.
3. "Formidable Supersonic Cruise Missile #BrahMos was successfully flight tested at 8:42 AM today at Pokhran test range, Rajasthan. The precision strike weapon with Indian-made seeker flew in its designated trajectory and hit the target with pinpoint accuracy," Sitharaman tweeted.
   

   Formidable Supersonic Cruise Missile #BrahMos was successfully flight tested at 8:42 AM today at Pokhran test range, Rajasthan.
   The precision strike weapon with Indian-made seeker flew in its designated trajectory and hit the target with pin-point accuracy.@PIB_India @MIB_India

   — Raksha Mantri (@DefenceMinIndia) March 22, 2018

4. The range of the missile, an Indo-Russia joint venture, can be extended up to 400 km as certain technical restrictions were lifted after India became a full member of the Missile Technology Control Regime (MTCR) last year.
5. BrahMos is a joint venture between DRDO of India and NPO Mashinostroyenia (NPOM) of Russia.
6. The Defence Minister congratulated the DRDO today for the successful test firing.
   

   Smt @nsitharaman congratulates @DRDO_India , the Armed Forces and Defence Industry for the successful flight test of the Supersonic Cruise Missile #BrahMos . The successful test will further bolster our national security.@PIB_India @MIB_India @SpokespersonMoD https://t.co/v3mQEovNvC<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

   — Raksha Mantri (@DefenceMinIndia) March 22, 2018

7. BrahMos missile is the heaviest weapon to be deployed on India's Su-30 fighter aircraft.
8. Work has already begun to integrate the BrahMos supersonic cruise missile on 40 Sukhoi combat aircraft which is expected to fulfill the critical needs of the Indian Air Force in the wake of evolving security dynamics in the region.

Here is your 10-point cheatsheet to the BrahMos supersonic cruise missile:

1. The BrahMos is the fastest cruise missile of its class in the world.
2. BrahMos missile flies almost three times the speed of sound at Mach 2.8 and has a range of 290 km.
3. The missile has been jointly developed with Russia and is named after the rivers Brahmaputra and Moskva in Russia.
4. The BrahMos has been inducted into the Navy and Army from 2006 onwards but the latest version is more versatile.
5. Unlike warships, a BrahMos armed Sukhoi-30 can fly 1,500 kilometers in the direction of a hostile target out at sea.
6. The BrahMos is extremely difficult to be intercepted by surface to air missiles deployed on leading warships around the world.
7. The range of the BrahMos missile can be extended up to 400 km as certain technical restrictions were lifted after India became a full member of the Missile Technology Control Regime or MTCR in 2016.
8. BrahMos missile is the heaviest weapon to be deployed on India's Su-30 fighter aircraft.
9. The project is expected to be completed by 2020.
10. The capability of the Indian Air Force to strike from large stand-off ranges on any target in sea or land is expected to go up manifold once the project is completed.

_{^{source: business-standard, ndtv}}