New nuclear-capable BrahMos version test-fired

Jaisalmer, Jan 20 (PTI) India Tuesday successfully
test-fired a new version of the nuclear-capable BrahMos
missile at Pokhran in its northern state of Rajasthan's
desert.

The test comes in the midst of heightened tension
between India and Pakistan following the Mumbai terror
attacks.

Defence Minister A K Antony, however, told reporters in
New Delhi that the test was pre-planned and not directed
against any country.

"It (BrahMos test) is a normal thing. The test was
pre-planned...BrahMos (is part of the arsenal) of the Navy and
the Army. Decision (to test) was taken much earlier. We are
continuing with that," Antony said in reply to queries.

The missile, with a 290-km range and capable of touching
a speed 2.8 times that of sound, was launched during the trial
in its vertical mode, Defence Research and Development
Organisation (DRDO) officials told PTI.

The present round of trials was earlier scheduled for
January 17 but was postponed till Tuesday. However, the DRDO
sources did not specify any reasons for the delay.

BrahMos is a missile that India is developing in
collaboration with Russia and is named after the river
Brahmputra and Moscow.

During the visit of Russian Defence Minister Anatoly
Serdyukov to India late last year, an agreement was reached
between the two countries for development of a hyper-sonic
BrahMos missile, an improvement on the already-developed
supersonic missile, termed as "the most advanced" in its
category.

India has also sent two of its latest Su-30 MKI Block
III air superiority fighter aircraft recently to Russia for
integration of the BrahMos missile on it.

The partner countries also have plans to export the
missile to "friendly" countries. BrahMos missiles' production
rate is likely to be increased with the Defence Ministry
taking over a Kerala-based Public Sector Undertaking for the
purpose recently.

The futuristic BrahMos hypersonic missile will have a
speed of Mach 5 with a range of 290 km and will be capable of
carrying both nuclear and conventional warheads.

The Indian Army inducted the BrahMos missile, which is
a version different from the one tested today, last year and
currently has one regiment armed with them. The Indian Navy
platforms inducted the supersonic cruise missiles in 2005.

BrahMos would be the main cruise missile on all of
India's future battles ships, be they Destroyers or Frigates.
On larger Naval ships, there would be scope for having 16
missiles on board with eight missiles each in two vertical
launchers. PTI