India test-fired BrahMos cruise missile from the Integrated Test Range (ITR) at Chandipur, about 15 km from Balasore, on Sunday. While the scientists associated with the programme described the test as successful, sources said the test failed to meet all mission parameters.
The missile, jointly developed by India and Russia, was launched from the launching complex-III of the ITR at about 10.35 am in full operational configuration. “After take off, the missile went vertically and fell down into the sea before reaching its pre-coordinated target. The test was not a cent percent success,” a source told TOI.
The ITR authorities, however, claimed that the launch was perfect and the missile met all mission objectives. “The test was conducted by the Defence Research and Development Organization (DRDO) and it was an experimental trial. It was successful in an experimental point of view,” said ITR director MVKV Prasad.
Sources said the test was part of the development trials of the missile, which has already been inducted into the Army and the Navy. The objective of the mission was to evaluate some of the newer sub-systems produced by the Indian industry. The two-stage missile, the first one being solid and the second one ramjet liquid propellant, has already been inducted into the Army and Navy and the Air-Force version is in the final stage of trial, he said.
BrahMos is a two-stage missile. It is nine metres tall and weighs 3.9 tonnes with the canister. It can reach a speed of 3 Mach and has a range of 290 km. It can be launched from ships, silos and road and rail mobile launchers. It can carry a conventional warhead weighing 300 kg. A scientist associated with the mission said the supersonic BrahMos is a unique missile in the world, unmatched for its speed (Mach 3), precision and power. It is also unique in that it has no known counter.
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