In a First, Navy Test-Fires Land-Attack BrahMos Supersonic Missile

The feat has helped India gain membership into an exclusive global club.

Land-attack version of BrahMos supersonic cruise missile being test fired for the first time from Teg, an Indian Naval ship, off the eastern coast, at a land target. (Photo: IANS/Indian Navy)

The Indian Navy, on 21 April, successfully test-fired a BrahMos land-attack supersonic cruise missile from a naval ship, putting India into an exclusive global club. So far, the Navy had fired only anti-ship version of the BrahMos.

The Navy “successfully” undertook the firing of BrahMos land-attack missile from naval ship Teg – a guided missile frigate – on a target on land on Friday," a naval statement said.

The variant of the long-range BrahMos was fired in the Bay of Bengal, off the eastern coast of India, sources said.

The successful maiden firing of BrahMos land-attack missile significantly enhances the naval prowess.

The land-attack variant provides Indian warships the capability to neutralise with precision the selected targets situated deep inland, far from the coast, from stand-off ranges at sea.

The Indian Navy, in a statement

BrahMos missile has been jointly developed by India and Russia, and its anti-ship variant has already been inducted into the Indian Navy. Majority of frontline naval ships of Kolkata, Ranvir and Teg classes are capable of firing this missile.

The land-attack version of BrahMos has been operationalised in the Indian Army since 2007.

BrahMos is considered the only supersonic cruise missile in the world. On 11 March, India successfully test-fired the BrahMos with an extended range of 450 km, with officials calling it a "textbook launch".

(Source: IANS)