Brahmos Block II to be testfired again in February

New Delhi: Officials from the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) are set to validate the capabilities of the new guidance system of the Block II version of the BrahMos supersonic cruise missile sometime in the second week of February. The February firing is a follow-up to the failed test earlier in January when the missile failed to impact the designated target.

DRDO officials had then assigned the failure to a glitch in the software of the guidance system of the Block II missile and had expressed the confidence that they would be able to rectify matters at a subsequent firing in February.

In the January test, the missile failed to home in on the target located in a clutter of similar structures. The Block II version is being developed for the Indian Army.

Defence officials are reportedly concerned over the failure of the first test, saying that a successful test firing of the Block II version was necessary before they would be able to move a proposal before the cabinet committee on security (CCS) for purchase of the missile system.

Expressing confidence about the forthcoming test, BrahMos Aerospace officials said the company would commence deliveries of the 240 missiles on order from the Army in two years time in line with the original schedule.

Refuting speculative reports about a likely three-fold increase in the cost of the missiles BrahMos officials clarified that a clause in the contract stipulates a 10-15 per cent increase in the price on an annual basis. They stressed there was no basis for a three-fold rise in the price of a unit, as being currently speculated upon by a section of the media.