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The BrahMos PJ-10 is a short-range, ramjet powered, single warhead, supersonic anti-ship cruise missile developed and manufactured by India and Russia. Ship-, air-, ground-, and submarine-launched versions exist. It is currently among the most formidable cruise missiles in development.
The BrahMos, which derives its name from the Brahmaputra and Moscow rivers in India and Russia, is based on the earlier Russian design for the SS-N-26 (3M55 Oniks) cruise missile.(1) In 1998, a joint venture was set up between the Indian Defense Ministry’s Defense Research and Development Organization and Russia’s Mashinostroyeniye Company. The two entities formed a company now known as Brahmos Aerospace, which would develop and manufacture the BrahMos PJ-10. Sources indicate that by 2006 India and Russia had already invested $300 million in the company.(2)
As an anti-ship missile, the BrahMos PJ-10 is distinguished by its reported supersonic speed of Mach 2.8, approximately one kilometer per second. In addition to making it difficult to intercept, this speed also imparts a greater strike power. In comparison, the U.S. RGM/UGM-109 “Tomahawk” cruise missile, which has been used successfully in both Iraq and Afghanistan, operates at a subsonic speed of less than Mach 1.0. Most other anti-ship missiles fly at subsonic speeds as well.
In addition,
the BrahMos is equipped with stealth technology designed to make it less visible to radar and other detection methods. The missile also has a high level of accuracy, which has been established by recent test flights as close to 1 m CEP.(1) The missile operates on the “fire and forget” principle, meaning that once it has been launched, it will correctly strike its target without requiring any assistance. It has an inertial navigation system (INS) for use against ship targets, and an INS/Global Positioning System for use against land targets. Terminal guidance is achieved through an active/passive radar.
The BrahMos is designed to attack surface targets at altitudes as low as 10 m.
The ship and ground-launched versions have a range of 300 km, while the air-launched version has a range of 500 km. The missile is powered by a solid propellant boost motor with a liquid-fuelled ramjet sustainer motor. The ship and ground-launched version is 8.2 m in length, has a body diameter of 0.67 m, carries a 300 kg payload, and has a launch weight of 3000 kg; the air-launched version is 8.0 m in length, has a diameter of 0.67 m, carries a 200 kg payload, and has a launch weight of 2200 kg. Both versions have four clipped tip delta wings at mid-body, with four small delta control fins at the rear. The BrahMos carries either a 200 or 300 kg high explosive semi-armor-piercing warhead or a 250 kg submunitions warhead.(1)
The first flight test of the BrahMos PJ-10 took place in June 2001. By April 2007, the missile had been tested at least fourteen times. The first eight tests were against ship targets and ended with the introduction of the missile into the Indian Navy in 2005. Several of the subsequent flights tested the missile against land-based targets and employed land-based launch platforms leading to the missile's introduction in the Indian Army in 2007. The missile is currently undergoing testing for air and submarine-launch systems. Flight tests aboard the Su-30 MKI aircraft probably began in 2009.(1)
The missile entered production in 2004. Initial production was probably fairly slow with about 10 to 15 missiles produced per year. It is believed that by 2008 production numbers had increased to around 40 missiles per year. About 360 missiles are expected to be produced for domestic use.(1) Some missiles will also probably be used by Russia. The BrahMos cooperation intends to export the missile rather widely. According to their webpage, exports can be expected to South Africa, Chile, Brazil, and a host of countries in the Middle East and Africa.(2)
A Brahmos II is currently in development. The Brahmos II promises to greatly exceed the speed of its predecessor and be available to the Indian Navy within several years.(2)
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MissileThreat :: BrahMos PJ-10
