India successfully test fired a new advanbced sea to sea version of the BrahMos supersonic cruise missile with enhanced capabilities adding to a series of tests conducted recently by the Defence Research and Development Organissation (DRDO). The missile was tested from the Indian Navy’s INS Visakhapatnam warship on January 20.
The BrahMos is notably the fastest supersonic missile in the world that can be launched from submarine, ships, aircraft or land. An underwater version is also being developed which will not be used by the submarines of India but will also be offered for the export to friendly foreign nations. The world’s fastest anti-ship cruise missile currently in operatrion is a joint venture between the Russian Federation’s NPO Mashinostroyeniya and India’s Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO).
BrahMos was first test fired on 12 june 2001 from the Integrated Test Range (ITR) Chandipur and after that several times the test with some added technology were conducted. The test of BrahMos on 5 September 2010 created world record for being the first cruise missile to be tested at supersonic speeds in a steep-dive mode. On 30 September 2020 the test fie extended the range BrahMos supersonic cruise missie with the capability of hitting targets at more than 400-km range.
It is noted that in 2019 India upgraded the missile with a new range of 650 km with plans to eventually upgrade all missiles to a range of 1500 km.