BATL to manufacture BrahMos airframes

Thiruvananthapuram: Recently commissioned, three-year-old, BrahMos Aerospace Thiruvananthapuram Ltd (BATL) will also be entrusted with the job of manufacturing airframes for the BrahMos supersonic cruise missiles. According to BrahMos Aerospace CEO Dr A Sivathanu Pillai a decision to this end should be announced within a month.

Once decided BATL will become the second manufacturing hub for BrahMos airframes, which means the structure of the missile excluding engines.

According to Dr Pillai, this was an opportunity for BATL. However, propulsion systems, would continue to be made by outside agencies, he said.

BrahMos Aerospace is set to ramp up production of the missiles, which are the fastest cruise missiles in operation anywhere in the world at the moment, as the Indian Army has placed more orders. Dr Pillai refused to divulge details, but said the orders constituted a large number.

Airframes made of light alloy for the missiles are being manufactured by Godrej at present, who have established a separate plant for the purpose. However, this did not prove to be adequate, he said.

BATL, which is situated at Chakkai, had received some orders for making the cylindrical containers for the missiles in the past. The company has also initiated work on Phase-II operations, Pillai said.