Indian Missile News And Discussion

[Guest]

Arun what is the specific advantage of Gel fuel based missile over liquid fuel ?



As I understand it can be stored as solid fuel and engine can be stopped and started in flight as liquid fuel.



Do they offer higher ISP over solid fuel like liquid fuel does ?



Are they safe and robust to store and operate ?





Since India and Russia are jointly developing Brahmos-2 here is some development on scramjet front



http://www.russiandefenseblog.org/?p=624

Russia will develop a target missile with a strait-flow engine in two or three years. The missile may be the prototype of a hypersonic aircraft, a Russian defense sector source told Interfax-AVN.



“The target missile development started in 2009, and the entire works will take three years. Documentation is ready,” he said.



The target missile “may eventually develop into a hypersonic vehicle, because it is easier to test prospective technologies this way,” he said.



“Key elements of the new engine were tested in the aerodynamic tube of the Central Aerohydrodynamic Research Institute this year. A model of the target missile will be tested in 2010,” the source said.

[Arun_S]

IMVHO gel fuel based engine does not give distinct advantage for military ballistic rocket engine, in fact hybrid engine (that is where gel fuel is used) has many pain points. The only distinct advantage hybrid engine offer is abelity to abort. Their ISP is only shade better than solid stage and significantly poorer than liquid engines.



Space tourism craft has found hybrid engine useful, due to safety as well simplicity to change thrust as well to relight the engine as part of trjectory.

[Guest]

Arun , Gel fuel is being proposed as a promising fuel to replace the liquid fuel in next generation of heavy liquid fuel ICBM now in development in Russia to replace the venerable SS-18 heavy ICBM



It seems the ability to pre load and store like a wodden round . safety and higher ISP than solid fuel is being proposed for gel fuel.



US too is experimenting with Gel based fuel , Not sure of DRDO has looked or are experimenting with Gel fuel

[Arun_S]

[url="http://www.ptinews.com/news/448101_Steps-taken-to-modify-BrahMos-missile--DRDO-official"]Steps taken to modify BrahMos missile[/url]

Nagercoil (TN), Dec 31 (PTI) Steps are being taken to modify the BrahMos missile to be used both by the Air Force and Army, Dr Siva Thanu Pillai, Chief Controller (R&D , Defence Research and Development Organisation said here today.



Efforts are on to develop the supersonic BrahMos-2 missile, Pillai, also CEO and MD, BrahMos Aerospace, told reporters.



Steps have been taken to manufacture parts of the missile from the Army Research Centre at Thiruvanathapuram and the "first stage" is in progress, he added.



BrahMos missile, a joint venture of India and Russia, was well received in the international community and some countries are eager to buy the missile, the DRDO chief controller added.



The test of an upgraded BrahMos supersonic cruise missile failed twice in this year after which the Army refused to accept the weapon unless proved. The third test, however, in March hit the bull's eye.

So all the BrahMos missile are being field upgraded to be at par with the capability that Army wanted tested last year, viz:

• 1. Ability to hit target at very short range, using S-curve type flight.
  
  
• 2. discriminate a small target from a cluster of similar RF clutter
  
  
• 3. target hidden in narrow ravine
  
  
• 4. almost sub-meter precision
  
  

Clearly the upgrade consist of updated software and most likely also the terminal seeker/sensor(s).

[sai_k]

Q: Does Gel fuel has the same advantage as liquid for say in the mid-course, I could have a few NFU gel-fueled-agnis in a loitering orbit with engines switched off or least use mode.. and upon target acquisition and C&C guidance go for the mid-course ballistic kill?

[Arun_S]

[quote name='sai_k' date='04 January 2010 - 12:21 AM' timestamp='1262544230' post='103296']

Q: Does Gel fuel has the same advantage as liquid for say in the mid-course, I could have a few NFU gel-fueled-agnis in a loitering orbit with engines switched off or least use mode.. and upon target acquisition and C&C guidance go for the mid-course ballistic kill?

[/quote]

If one wants to place a space bourn BM, I do not believe restartable engine is interesting. Using staging is far more efficient instead of using one common stage for orbital parking and re-entry. Recall that once in parking space one needs only net impulse to re-enter, high amount of force is not required. Thus simply having a pressurized space maneuvering engine, or small solid engine will do just fine; and it can be one and the same as velocity correction package in the RV.

[sai_k]

http://defensetech.org/2009/12/23/us-pla...ake-shape/

“We know from past work on the EKV [Exoatmospheric Kill Vehicle] that liquid propulsion gives us all sorts of flexibility. We can turn it on when we need it and we can turn it off when we want to shut it off,” says Rich Matlock, MDA director of advanced programs. The EKV is the kill vehicle built by Raytheon and used for the Ground-​​Based Midcourse Defense (GMD) interceptors at Ft. Greely, Alaska, and Vandenberg Air Force Base, Calif. EKV would be the kill vehicle today that would be used if an ICBM were launched at the United States. The SM-​​3 lacks the range and speed needed to kill a long-​​range missile.

I was driven by the above news. Perhaps the objectives are different here.

[Arun_S]

[quote name='Arun_S' date='02 January 2010 - 02:34 AM' timestamp='1262379401' post='103253']

[url="http://www.ptinews.com/news/448101_Steps-taken-to-modify-BrahMos-missile--DRDO-official"]Steps taken to modify BrahMos missile[/url]





So all the BrahMos missile are being field upgraded to be at par with the capability that Army wanted tested last year, viz:

• 1. Ability to hit target at very short range, using S-curve type flight.
  
  
• 2. discriminate a small target from a cluster of similar RF clutter
  
  
• 3. target hidden in narrow ravine
  
  
• 4. almost sub-meter precision
  
  

Clearly the upgrade consist of updated software and most likely also the terminal seeker/sensor(s).

[/quote]



This news report confirms my above assessment:



[url="http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/articleshow/msid-5416420,prtpage-1.cms"]BrahMos missile to be inducted into Air Force in 2012[/url]

PTI 6 January 2010, 02:29pm IST

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The country's prestigious 'BrahMos' missile would be inducted into the Air Force in 2012 that would ensure all the three wings of the military are equipped with the supersonic cruise missile, a top defence official said on Wednesday.



"We have developed the airborne missile part, and process of integrating it with the aircraft 'Sukhoi' was progressing", BrahMos Aerospace Ltd CMD A Shivathanu Pillai said at the BrahMos Aerospace's facility here.



Trial run of airborne BrahMos missile would be held next year and the target was to integrate it with the aircraft in 2012, he said.



As far as integration of the missile was concerned, the original designers of the aircraft were also involved, he said.



"We are working with them (Sukhoi). Some changes are necessary and once the alteration is identified, we will introduce the same in the aircraft," Pillai said.



With that, all the three wings of Indian military -- Air Force, Navy and Army -- would have the supersonic missile 'BrahMos', he said.



Development of a new version of BrahMos missile, involving a technology that would discriminate the target and attack, in 2009 was a major achievement, he added.



Three flights on the new version had proved successful and the army would be inducting two more of this version shortly, Pillai said.



On the next generation cruise missile, he said hypersonic BrahMos missile was in design stage.

[Guest]

[quote name='Arun_S' date='07 January 2010 - 05:37 AM' timestamp='1262822380' post='103382']

This news report confirms my above assessment:



[url="http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/articleshow/msid-5416420,prtpage-1.cms"]BrahMos missile to be inducted into Air Force in 2012[/url]

[/quote]



So far DRDO has not been open with Sensor/Seeker upgrade for Brahmos Mark2 , it keeps insisting its a Software Upgrade which if true makes this all the more remarkable achievement.

[Arun_S]

Very correct.



Ground target discrimination from a clutter will definitely require more capable radar than the old one that was for simple ship targeting. No matter the signal processing software improvement, think either they have an improved radar or supplementary IR/optical sensor to feed vital data stream for the super duper-software.



Also note that if it was simply a software update, retrofitting older missile inventory would be so much easier and faster and not much to crow about a new Mk-II missile.



I will wait patiently till we get to know of possible new release that may talk of new sensor.

[Guest]

Indian Air Force will launch BrahMos in 2012

http://lenta.ru/mil/



Air Force India will have to adopt Russo-Indian supersonic missile BrahMos air-launched in 2012. It is reported by Defence Talk with reference to the Director General of Russo-Indian joint venture BrahMos Aerospace Sivathanu Pillai. As expected, testing of new missiles will begin in 2011 and completed in 2012.



The portfolio of orders for the missile BrahMos billions of dollars. It is expected that until 2016 India and Russia intend to release about a thousand missiles of various modifications, with about half of them will be sold to third countries. BrahMos will be three times the speed of sound, reaching 3,5 thousand kilometers per hour.



Previously completed development and testing of missile BrahMos land-and sea These modifications have already been taken to adopt the Army and Navy in India. Now BrahMos Aerospace is developing a hypersonic missile, which would exceed the speed of sound at least five times.This missile will be virtually invulnerable to interception.



February 12, 1998 between Russia and India signed an agreement on cooperation in the development and production of missile systems with anti-ship missile. This agreement is made possible joint development of BrahMos. The first launch of BrahMos from shore installation took place in June 2001.

[Arun_S]

[url="http://ibnlive.in.com/news/india-testfires-airtoair-astra-missile-twice/108550-3.html"]India test-fires air-to-air Astra missile twice: IBN[/url]

Balasore: India on Monday twice successfully test-fired the home-grown short-range Astra air-to-air missile from the Integrated Test Range (ITR) off the Orissa coast, an official said.



The beyond visual range missile was first test-fired at 0945 hrs IST and then at 1206 hrs IST



"It was a very good flight," said ITR Director SP Dash.



Astra is a high-end tactical missile that is envisaged to intercept enemy aircraft at supersonic speeds in head-on mode at a range of 80 km and in a chase mode at 20 km.



The missile is intended for the Indian Air Force's Sukhoi Su-30MKI, Mirage 2000H, Mirage 2000, MiG-29, MiG-21 Bison and Tejas combat jets, as also the Indian Navy's Sea Harrier jump jets.



It resembles an elongated Matra Super 530 missile and uses an in-house developed solid fuel propellant, though its developer, the Defence Research and Development Organisation, is believed to be looking at rocket/ramjet propulsion similar to that used in its Akash surface-to-air missile project.



The missile was first tested in May 2003.

[url="http://news.rediff.com/report/2010/jan/11/india-test-fires-astra-missile.htm"]Orissa: India test-fires Astra: Rediff[/url]



[url="http://www.expressindia.com/latest-news/2-Astra-missiles-successfully-test-fired/566078/"]2 Astra missiles successfully test fired:ExpressIndia[/url]

Agencies Posted: Jan 11, 2010 at 1218 hrs

Balasore, Orissa Achieving a new milestone, India on Monday successfully test-fired two indigenously developed air-to-air missiles 'Astra' in quick succession from the Integrated Test Range at Chandipur in Orissa.



The beyond visual range (BVR) missiles were test-fired from a ground launcher in the launch pad No. 2 of the ITR complex at about 9.45 am and 12.06 pm, defence sources said.



Describing both the trials as "successful", they said the data of the flight test was being thoroughly analysed. Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) scientists said Astra was a futuristic missile and it could intercept targets at supersonic speeds between mach 1.2 to 1.4 (mach one is equivalent to 1236 kmph.)



"The tests on the missile's navigation, control, air frame, propulsion and other sub-system have been validated," they said.



The complex missile system would undergo some more trials before being made fully operational, they said. The single stage, solid fuel 'Astra' missile "is more advanced in its category than the contemporary BVR missiles and it is capable of engaging and destroying highly manoeuvrable supersonic aerial targets," defence sources said.



Though the exact range of today's trial was not disclosed, scientists are working to ensure that 'Astra' performs effectively at different altitudes - one, cruising at an altitude of 15 km with 90 to 110 km range, another at an altitude up to 30,000 ft having a range of 44 km and the third, at sea level with a range of 30 km. Astra had earlier been test-fired from the ITR at the ground level several times, the sources added.

[Arun_S]

[url="http://www.hindu.com/2010/01/12/stories/2010011250330100.htm"]Two Astra missiles flight-tested successfully: HINDU[/url]

Y.Mallikarjun



Final trial expected to be conducted by year-end





HYDERABAD: Two ballistic flight tests of Astra, Beyond-Visual-Range Air-to-Air Missile (BVRAAM), were successfully carried out from the Integrated Test Range (ITR) at Balasore, Orissa, on Monday.



Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) officials said the first missile was fired around 9.15 hrs and the second one at 12.00 hrs. Both were successful and the performance of the motor, propulsion system and the configurations of the vehicle and aero-dynamics evaluated.



The missile’s final trial was expected to be conducted by year-end after its integration with fighter aircraft Su-30 MKI. Astra would also be carried by MiG-29 and Light Combat Aircraft Tejas.



The missile is envisaged to intercept and destroy enemy aircraft at supersonic speeds in the head-on mode at a range of 80 km and in tail-chase mode at 20 km.



Astra, which uses solid propellant, can carry a conventional warhead of 15 kg. It is the smallest of the missiles developed by the DRDO in terms of size and weight. It is 3.8 metre-long and has a diameter of 178 mm with an overall launch weight of 160 kg. The missile could be launched from different altitudes — it can cover 110 km when launched from an altitude of 15 km, 44 km when fired from an altitude of eight km and 21 km when the altitude is sea-level.

More advanced



The DRDO officials said it was more advanced than the similar class of missiles of the United States, Russia and France. The missile’s captive flight tests from Su-3MKI were carried out near Pune in November last when seven sorties were conducted. Astra’s first flight trial took place on May 9, 2003.

[url="http://in.reuters.com/article/topNews/idINIndia-45297020100111"]India tests missile that jams ground radars: reuters[/url]

Mon Jan 11, 2010 12:03pm IST



BHUBANESWAR (Reuters) - India successfully tested on Monday an air-to-air missile that can jam ground radar systems, a senior defence scientist said.



The missile which has a range of 25 km (15 miles) can be fitted into any fighter aircraft and is known as the Astra (weapon), S.P. Dash, head of the Integrated Test Range (ITR) in Orissa said.



"It was a very good flight. The test was conducted to prove the control system," Dash told Reuters, after the missile hit targets accurately.



The success comes after a string of failures last year in which several missiles failed to meet the expected parameters during routine tests.



(Reporting by Jatindra Dash; Editing by Bappa Majumdar)

[url="http://www.domain-b.com/aero/mil_avi/miss_muni/20100111_successful_oneView.html"]Astra BVRAAM missile test firing successful news: domain-b[/url]

11 January 2010



Balasore, Orissa: India successfully test fired its prestigious 'Astra' beyond-visual-range air-to-air missile (BVRAAM) from the Integrated Test Range (ITR) off the Orissa coast on Monday, bringing it a step closer to operational induction.



"It was a very good flight. The test was conducted to prove the control system," ITR director SP Dash informed the media.



Another test is scheduled later in the day, he added.



The 'Astra' is a high-end tactical missile and is meant to intercept enemy aircraft at supersonic speeds in head-on mode at a range of 80 km and in tail-chase mode at 20 km.



The missile is intended to be eventually integrated with the IAF's Sukhoi-30MKI, MiG-29, Mirage 2000, Jaguar and the Tejas Light Combat Aircraft.



A previous test in May 2009 saw the missile's dual mode guidance being validated. This was a ground test. An earlier test in September 2008 saw the missile's navigation, control, air frame, propulsion and other sub-systems being validated.



According to the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) the single stage, solid fuelled 'Astra' missile "is more advanced in its category than contemporary BVR missiles and it is capable of engaging and destroying highly manoeuvrable supersonic aerial targets."



Performance parameters



At the time of the 2008 tests, DRDO sources had spoken about the performance parameters of the 'Astra' saying that they would like to see it perform effectively at different altitudes - one cruising at an altitude of 15 km with 90 to 110 km range, another at an altitude up to 30,000 ft, having a range of 44 km and the third at sea level altitude with a range of 30 km.



The 'Astra' is 3.6 meters long, 7 inches in diameter and has a launch weight of about 154 kg. It will carry a 15 kg war head.



'Astra' had undergone two experimental flight tests from the ITR launch complex at Chandipur on 25 and 26 March 2007 to study its ballistic performance and control at low altitudes and shorter ranges.



The project is guided and led by Hyderabad-based Defence Research and Development Laboratory (DRDL) one of the many laboratories that function under the umbrella organisation of the DRDO.



The missiles prototypes were first tested on 9-12 May 2003.

[Arun_S]

[url="http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/articleshow/msid-5434798,prtpage-1.cms"]Astra tested, but no induction yet: Rajat Pandit, TNN, 12 January 2010[/url]

NEW DELHI: The long-delayed ‘Astra’ air-to-air missile was tested twice from the Integrated Test Range at Chandipur in Orissa on Monday but the fact remains that the much-touted missile is still far from becoming operational.



For one, the beyond visual range (BVR) missile’s ‘captive flight trials’ from a fighter jet like the Sukhoi-30MKI are yet to begin despite DRDO having earlier promised they would start from July 2008. For another, even after these trials kick off, it will take another couple of years and 20-40 tests for Astra-I, with a 45-km strike range, to be dubbed fully-operational. The 80-km range Astra-II will only follow thereafter.



The tests on Monday were, after all, from underslung ground launchers, not from fighters flying at supersonic speeds. “At 160 kg, the 3.7-metre long Astra is very heavy compared to other BVR missiles. Its integration with even heavyweight fighters like Sukhois poses problems,” said a source.



IAF desperately needs indigenous BVR missiles since the days of close-range dogfights are fast receding. In modern-day air combat, fighters often use BVR missiles to destroy enemy aircraft at ranges over 40 km away, without coming anywhere close to each other.



Consequently, India is forced to import from Russia, France and Israel huge quantities of expensive BVR missiles like AA-12 Adder, Matra Super 530D and Derby to arm its fighters like Sukhoi-30MKIs, Mirage-2000s and MiG-29s.

[Arun_S]

[url="http://beta.thehindu.com/news/states/other-states/article81323.ece?css=print"]BrahMos missiles to be assembled at Pilani - HINDU[/url]

The country’s next assembling centre for the prestigious BrahMos missiles will be Rajasthan’s Pilani. The State Government has already allocated 80 hectares of land near Pilani town, better known for its Birla Institute of Technology and Science (BITS Pilani) for this purpose.



At present the BrahMos missiles, a joint venture of India and Russia, are assembled in Hyderabad. There is also a Brahmos Aerospace Thiruvananthapuram Limited near the Kerala capital.



The Chief Controller of Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) and Chief Executive Officer of BrahMos Board, Sivthanu Pillai, was here over the weekend in this connection. He met Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot and promised to start work on the new centre at the earliest. He thanked the State Government for the allocation of land and presented to Mr. Gehlot a model of Brahmos missile.



Extolling Brahmos as the fastest missile in the world, Dr. Pillai told Mr. Gehlot that an investment of Rs.200 crore would be made on the new centre. The missile moves three times faster than the speed of sound, he pointed out.



The new centre would recruit about 150 technical experts and people from Rajasthan would be given preference in recruitments, he promised the Chief Minister.



It was DRDO’s proposal that a BrahMos project be set up in Pilani. It had approached the State with a request for allotment of land. In fact, eminent missile scientist and former President of India A. P. J. Abdul Kalam during his visit to BITS Pilani in March-April 2007 to address students there had spoken about possible linkages with the students of the Institute and the country’s missile programme.



Keywords: BrahMos missiles, pilani, ashok Gehlot, faster than speed of sound, Kerala, Rajasthan

The sparsely popululated location near BITS campus is a good choice. People will enjoy morning wake up-call by Peacocks.



Location of CEERI pilani nearby will serve good headstart to form critical mass of people who have mastery of radars, sensors and control.

[sai_k]

“At 160 kg, the 3.7-metre long Astra is very heavy compared to other BVR missiles. Its integration with even heavyweight fighters like Sukhois poses problems,”

But, wasn't Astra supposed to be for LCA-Tejas, if so, and it poses problems for MKI, then it might not see a flight with Tejas, ever. Of course, only if the report is only true.

[Arun_S]

IIRC the original design weight is 160 Kg, so dont see why its a problem for LCA or MKI. It is another story that these new foreign missiles claim to have long range and less weight at the same time.



But selling sensational snake oil is a big market in India where people will glup down "Bideshi" mutra as imported ZumZum, and discount Swadeshi "Thumbs Up". But who am I to complain of Indian mind set, much less to control it. <img src='http://www.india-forum.com/forums/public/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/cool.gif' class='bbc_emoticon' alt='B)' />

[Arun_S]

[url="http://www.expressbuzz.com/edition/story.aspx?Title=DRDO+braces+up+for+a+series+of+tests&artid=GCVgVJ6jrkQ=&SectionID=mvKkT3vj5ZA=&MainSectionID=fyV9T2jIa4A=&SectionName=nUFeEOBkuKw=&SEO="]DRDO braces up for a series of tests[/url]

[url="http://www.expressbuzz.com/edition/searchresult.aspx?AliasName=W2M29aSQvW1bJUYp1CbztwVB9kCllaGq"]Hemant Kumar Rout[/url] First Published : 05 Jan 2010

BALASORE: The Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) which is planning a series of missile tests in the next few months has a host of challenges before it to fit into the defence requirements of the country in the light of the heightening tension in and around India.



Sources said, at least five different ranges and variants of missiles are likely to be tested by the defence scientists and Indian Army in the first quarter of the year. The missiles to be tested from the integrated test range (ITR) off the Orissa coast are India’s longest range Agni-III, Agni-II, an interceptor, Shourya (the land version of submarine launched ballistic missile K-15) and BrahMos.While 2000 km plus range Agni-II missile is scheduled for trial between January 6 and 9, the 3500 km range Agni-III will be test-fired by this month end.The three other missile tests will be conducted one after another to gauge their accuracy and performances, said a source at the ITR in Chandipur-on-sea.



Defence analysts feel the scientists have to come out credibly to hold high the reputation of DRDO and to fit into the shoes of eminent defence scientists like APJ Abdul Kalam. ‘’Challenges are many and it is yet to see how it comes over the failures of the preceding years. Success and failures although tread along, keeping in view the defence requirements of the country, people have got a zero tolerance level as far as failures of the DRDO is concerned,’’ they remarked.‘’While BrahMos and Shourya will be test fired from the ITR at Chandipur from a silo launcher, the Agni variants will be tested from the Wheelers Island off Dhamra coast in Bhadrak district.



During the advanced air defence (AAD) interceptor test, a Prithvi missile, modified to mimic a hostile ballistic missile with a 300 km -1,000 km range, will be fired from the Chandipur base and will be intercepted by another missile fired few seconds later from Wheeler Island,” said a defence scientist.Defence sources said, the 2000 km plus range Agni-II missile, which was first tested in 1999 has a length of 21 meters, a diameter of 1.3 meters and weighs 19 tonnes. Having South China as the main target, the missile is designed to carry a one-tonne weapon. The Agni-III has a range of over 3,000 km and is capable of carrying both conventional and nuclear warheads. ‘’India is now developing Agni-V having a strike range of 5000 km which will probably fly in the air early next year,’’ said a source.



Apart from its long range missiles, the DRDO is now focusing on the ballistic missile defence (BMD) system. As part of the project it has already developed two interceptors – exo-atmospheric (outside the atmosphere) and endo-atmospheric (within the atmosphere).‘’While the exo-atmospheric PAD has been tested twice, the second test of the endo-atmospheric AAD interceptor will be conducted this time,’’ the source informed.



Similarly, the newly developed 600-km range ‘Shourya’ ballistic missile, which can be fired from underground silos unlike the Prithvi and Agni missiles will be tested for the second time.It is meant to boost the country’s second strike capabilities.Significantly, Shourya missiles can remain camouflaged in underground silos from enemy surveillance or satellites till they are fired from the special storage-cum-launch canisters.

[Guest]

Army plans induction of BrahMos with 'surgical strike' option



Army is going in for a major induction of BrahMos Block-II land-attack cruise missiles (LACM), which have been designed as precision strike weapons" capable of hitting small targets in cluttered urban environments.



Sources say the defence ministry will ``soon'' approach the Cabinet Committee on Security, chaired by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, for the green signal to arm the Army with two regiments of the BrahMos Block-II land-attack cruise missiles (LACM).



Swift induction of BrahMos Block-II is necessary because Pakistan Army is inducting its nuclear-capable Babur LACM, developed with China's help to have a 500-km strike range, in large numbers. BrahMos-II can potentially be used for ``surgical strikes'' at terror training camps across the border without causing collateral damage.



One regiment of the 290-km range BrahMos-I variant, which consists of 67 missiles, five mobile autonomous launchers on 12x12 Tatra vehicles and two mobile command posts, among other equipment, is already operational in the Army. It had earlier ordered two BrahMos regiments in the first phase at a cost of Rs 8,352 crore.



The BrahMos Block-II variant has been developed to take out a specific small target, with a low radar cross-section, in a multi-target environment.



The air-breathing missile, which flies at speeds up to 2.8 Mach (almost three times the speed of sound), of course, does not come cheap. With `multi-spectral seekers' for `target-discriminating capabilities', each missile costs upwards of Rs 25 crore.



Incidentally, Indian Navy too has inducted BrahMos's naval variant on some warships, having earlier placed orders worth Rs 711 crore for 49 firing units.



While these missiles are fired from `inclined launchers', Navy is also gearing up to induct `vertical launchers'.



This is significant since `vertical launchers' are fitted under the warship's deck, protecting them from the atmospheric conditions and imparting some stealth to the weapon system. It also allows the missile to be fired in any direction.



Two such modules, with 16 missiles, are to fitted in each of the three Kolkata-class P-15A destroyers being built at Mazagon Docks at a cost of Rs 11,662 crore.



BrahMos will also arm the three more Talwar-class `stealth' frigates being built at Yantar shipyard in Kaliningrad (Russia) under a Rs 5,514-crore project.



But the work on submarine and air-launched versions of BrahMos is still going quite slow. While talks with Russia are now in the final stages for BrahMos' integration with Sukhoi-30MKI fighters, the missile will be tested for the first time from submersible pontoon launchers this year in preparation for their induction on submarines.



India and Russia have also begun preliminary work on a ``hypersonic'' BrahMos-2 missile capable of flying at a speed between 5 and 7 Mach, as reported earlier.



The armed forces' eventual plan, of course, is to have nuclear-tipped LACMs, with strike ranges over 1,500 km. Unlike ballistic missiles like Agni, cruise missiles do not leave the atmosphere and are powered and guided throughout their flight path.



Cruise missiles, which can evade enemy radars and air defence systems since they fly at low altitudes, are also much cheaper as well as more accurate and easier to operate than ballistic missiles.

[Arun_S]

This confirmation of Brahmos-II having multi-spectral sensor to take on small targets with low RCS confirm my earlier analysis/assessment that it is not just software change that makes Brahmos Mk-II different from Mk-1.



Ability to take on low RCS target means it has optical/IR seeker that supplements RF/radar. It is not not preclude the possibility that Radar part is new and is Ka band





[url="http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Army-plan-induction-of-BrahMos-with-surgical-strike-option/articleshow/5493029.cms"]Army plans induction of BrahMos with 'surgical strike' option[/url]

Rajat Pandit, TNN, 24 January 2010, NEW DELHI: Army is going in for a major induction of BrahMos Block-II land-attack cruise missiles (LACM), which have been designed as "precision strike weapons" capable of hitting small targets in cluttered urban environments.



Sources say the defence ministry will ``soon'' approach the Cabinet Committee on Security, chaired by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, for the green signal to arm the Army with two regiments of the BrahMos Block-II land-attack cruise missiles (LACM).



Swift induction of BrahMos Block-II is necessary because Pakistan Army is inducting its nuclear-capable Babur LACM, developed with China's help to have a 500-km strike range, in large numbers. BrahMos-II can potentially be used for ``surgical strikes'' at terror training camps across the border without causing collateral damage.



One regiment of the 290-km range BrahMos-I variant, which consists of 67 missiles, five mobile autonomous launchers on 12x12 Tatra vehicles and two mobile command posts, among other equipment, is already operational in the Army. It had earlier ordered two BrahMos regiments in the first phase at a cost of Rs 8,352 crore.



The BrahMos Block-II variant has been developed to take out a specific small target, with a low radar cross-section, in a multi-target environment.



The air-breathing missile, which flies at speeds up to 2.8 Mach (almost three times the speed of sound), of course, does not come cheap. With `multi-spectral seekers' for `target-discriminating capabilities', each missile costs upwards of Rs 25 crore.



Incidentally, Indian Navy too has inducted BrahMos's naval variant on some warships, having earlier placed orders worth Rs 711 crore for 49 firing units.



While these missiles are fired from `inclined launchers', Navy is also gearing up to induct `vertical launchers'.



This is significant since `vertical launchers' are fitted under the warship's deck, protecting them from the atmospheric conditions and imparting some stealth to the weapon system. It also allows the missile to be fired in any direction.



Two such modules, with 16 missiles, are to fitted in each of the three Kolkata-class P-15A destroyers being built at Mazagon Docks at a cost of Rs 11,662 crore.



BrahMos will also arm the three more Talwar-class `stealth' frigates being built at Yantar shipyard in Kaliningrad (Russia) under a Rs 5,514-crore project.



But the work on submarine and air-launched versions of BrahMos is still going quite slow. While talks with Russia are now in the final stages for BrahMos' integration with Sukhoi-30MKI fighters, the missile will be tested for the first time from submersible pontoon launchers this year in preparation for their induction on submarines.



India and Russia have also begun preliminary work on a ``hypersonic'' BrahMos-2 missile capable of flying at a speed between 5 and 7 Mach, as reported earlier.



The armed forces' eventual plan, of course, is to have nuclear-tipped LACMs, with strike ranges over 1,500 km. Unlike ballistic missiles like Agni, cruise missiles do not leave the atmosphere and are powered and guided throughout their flight path.



Cruise missiles, which can evade enemy radars and air defence systems since they fly at low altitudes, are also much cheaper as well as more accurate and easier to operate than ballistic missiles.