28.06.2012
Submarine-based version of the BrahMos Russian-Indian missile will be launched for the first time in Oct-Nov, 2012, the director of BrahMos Aerospace Sivathanu Pillai told ARMS-TASS at the 2-nd international engineering technology forum.
"We're going to hold the first launch of the submarine-adapted missile version by underwater testing platform in October or November", Dr. Pillai said.
According to him, the coming launch will be an important stage in the
BrahMos program development because after that test Indian Navy will decide whether to arm India's prospective non-nuclear submarines with these missiles.
Representative of
Rubin Central Design Bureau earlier told
ITAR-TASS that Russian designers were ready to offer Indian Navy non-nuclear submarine
Amur-1650 armed either with
Club or
BrahMos missile systems.
"So far, Indian partners have not brought up an issue of
BrahMos integration into
Amur-1650 submarine put up for Indian tender under the 75I prospective submarine program", said Andrei Baranov, deputy director general of
Rubin bureau for foreign economic activity.
As for him, "the
Amur-1650 submarine project is currently armed with
Club attack missile system, well-known in Indian Navy and launched by horizontal torpedo tubes. But if Indian party wants the sub to be equipped with vertically-launched
BrahMos attack missile system,
Rubin bureau would amend the project", Baranov explained.
"
BrahMos can be integrated into
Amur-1650 as an additional compartment with vertical launch tubes", pointed out the design bureau's director.
"
Amur and
BrahMos are pretty compatible; we had worked on the sub's architecture in this regard. So, if Indian partners want to have the
BrahMos-equipped submarine, that would strengthen chance of
Rosoboronexport in the India's program 75I tender", emphasized Baranov.
Rosoboronexport will put up prospective non-nuclear submarine
Amur-1650 powered by air-independent plant for Indian tender providing procurement and license production of 6 non-nuclear submarines.
