BrahMos Missile Displayed Prestrategic Features

10.10.2012 India has carried out tests of upgraded BrahMos supersonic antiship cruise missile, writes Izvestiya. The missile's distinction from the basic variant is guidance system used in Russian strategic missiles Kh-101 and Kh-555. Tests of the upgraded missile jointly developed by Russia and India were recognized successful.

The guidance system taken from Kh-101 and Kh-555 missiles is also an inertial-doppler type system, but now its flight is corrected by GPS-GLONASS signals. Thanks to such upgrade, accuracy of the cruise missile was considerably improved. According to sources, now BrahMos excels the tactical class of missiles but not achieves strategic class.

Strategic cruise missiles Kh-101 and Kh-555 are carried by Russian long-range bombers Tu-95MS and Tu-160. Missile Kh-101 is capable to destroy targets at the range of up to 5,500 km with nuclear warhead weight of 400 kg. For Kh-555, this parameters are 2,000 km and 410 kg. Kh-101 and Kh-555 missiles are capable to accelerate up to 920 and 970 kph respectively.

According to preliminary estimates, upgraded BrahMos will be commissioned into Indian armed forces even in 2013. Primarily, this missile will be mounted on Su-30MKI fighters. BrahMos is capable to carry different types of payload including nuclear warhead. Thus, some of Su-30MKI fighters operated by Indian Air Force will obtain status of strategic aircraft.

Supersonic missile BrahMos is based on Russian cruise missile Yakhont. Flight speed of the Russian-Indian missile exceeds sound speed by 2.5-2.8 times; the missile can hit targets at the distance up to 500 km (some sources say 300 km). Stealth technologies were widely used in the missile's design. BrahMos is produced in three variants for land, sea, and air platforms.