BrahMos missile successfully test-fired in Pokaran in Jaisalmer, Rajasthan
Miscellaneous
India
The Indian Air Force (IAF) on 27 May 2016 successfully test-fired the land-attack version of the BrahMos supersonic cruise missile. It was test fired from a defence base in the western sector at the Pokaran in Jaisalmer, Rajasthan.
About the Test
The flight conducted met its mission parameters in a copybook manner and the weapon hit and annihilated the designated target.
It is maiden air launch from a fighter aircraft.
The Indian Army and Navy have already inducted the BrahMos missile system. The accuracy in mountain warfare mode of the missile system was re-established in an exercise conducted by the Indian Army in the eastern sector in 2015 and the test was conducted in April 2016.
About BrahMos missile
• BrahMos missile was developed by an Indo-Russian joint venture (JV) after the two countries signed an agreement in February 1998.
• It has derived its name from the names of two rivers Brahmaputra and Moskva Rivers of the two countries.
• The nine-metre long missile can travel at a speed of Mach 2.8(that is, three times the speed of sound).
• It is the fastest missile in the world which has a flight range of up to 290 kilometers and carries a conventional warhead of 200 kilograms to 300 kilograms.
• It delivers with high-precision, devastating power at supersonic speed.
• It operates on fire and forgets principal and is capable of being launched from land, sea, sub-sea and air against sea and land targets.
