In news
India successfully test-fires Land-attack version of BrahMos supersonic cruise missile in the Andaman and Nicobar
About BrahMos missile
- The new land-attack version of the missile’s range has been extended to 400 km from the original 290 km but its speed has been maintained at 2.8 Mach or almost three times the speed of sound.
- The BrahMos missile provides the IAF a much-desired capability to strike from large stand-off ranges on any target at sea or on land with pinpoint accuracy by day or night and in all weather conditions.
Who has developed it?
An Indian-Russian joint venture called BrahMos Aerospace produces the lethal weapon that can be launched from submarines, ships, aircraft, or from land platforms
About BrahMos
- BrahMos is a supersonic cruise missile being developed by BrahMos Aerospace, a joint venture between DRDO of India and NPO Mashinostroyenia (NPOM) of Russia.
- The missile is named after two rivers, the Brahmaputra in India and the Moskva in Russia.
- It is the fastest supersonic cruise missile in the world
- It can be launched from submarine, ships, aircraft, or land
- The first BrahMos missile was test fired from the integrated test range at Chandipur in Orissa Coast in June 2001.
About BrahMos Aerospace
- In February 1998, India and Russia signed an inter-governmental agreement to establish BrahMos Aerospace for producing the BrahMos missiles.
- It was formed as joint venture by DRODO of India and Federal State Unitary Enterprise NPO Mashinostroyenia (NPOM) of Russia as
- The company was established on 12 February 1998 with an authorised share capital of US$250 million.
- India holds 50.5% share of the joint venture and its initial financial contribution was US$126.25 million, while Russia holds 49.5% share with an initial contribution of US$123.75 million