Another BrahMos milestone –achieves supersonic manoeuvrability

New Delhi: The vastly successful BrahMos supersonic cruise missile programme crossed another milestone achieving manoeuvrability at supersonic speeds – a complex technical task. The missile, which has been tested in various configurations, was successfully test fired from a universal vertical-launch canister carried onboard the Indian Navy's Kashin-class destroyer, INS Ranvir.

The BrahMos is a unique, one of its kind, supersonic cruise missile, jointly developed by Russia and India. The term BrahMos is an amalgam of the words Brahmaputra and Moskva, two major river systems in the respective countries.

Launched from a newly developed, state-of-the-art, vertical launcher onboard INS Ranvir, the missile slammed into the target ship in the Bay of Bengal.

CEO and MD of BrahMos Aerospace Dr A Sivathanu Pillai was quoted as saying that the launch met all mission requirements and was entirely successful. ''It was a perfect hit and a perfect mission,'' Dr Pillai said.

Dr Pillai said the test proved it was possible to manoeuvre the missile at supersonic speeds before hitting the target. The missile followed the flight path laid down and homed on to the decommissioned target ship INS Meen, officials said.

The Brahmos missiles have been jointly designed and developed by India's Defence and Research Development Organisation (DRDO) and Russia's NPO Mashinostroyenia through a joint venture, BrahMos Aerospace. The JV has also developed and patented the Universal Vertical Launcher, from which the missile was launched.