India test-fired an advanced version of BrahMos supersonic cruise missile from the Odisha coast on Tuesday.
The 290km-range missile was successfully test-fired from a mobile launcher of Integrated Test Range (ITR) at Chandipur of Balasore at 10.40am. This follows the successful test-firing of Akash missile in June from the same ITR.
According to Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), the missile is capable of carrying a conventional warhead of 300 kg.
"It was a developmental trial of BrahMos," PTI quoted Ravi Kumar Gupta, a senior defence scientist and director, Directorate of Public Interface, DRDO.
A defence official stated that the two-stage BrahMos missile - the first one being solid and the second one ramjet liquid propellant - has already been inducted into Indian Army and Navy, while the Air Force version of the missile is in the final stages of trial.
The advanced BrahMos missile is a joint venture of India and Russia. Russian scientists have worked along with Indian scientists of BrahMos Aerospace Private Limited (BAPL). Scientists of India's DRDO and Russia's Federal State Unitary Enterprise - NPO Mashinostroyenia (NPOM) have worked jointly on the missile.
The name "BrahMos" is derived from two rivers of India and Russia - Brahmaputra and Moskva.
According to scientists, BrahMos is the only advanced supersonic cruise missile in the world with a precise hit, and the Indian Army is the first to have a missile with such advanced capabilities.
BAPL is also developing the air as well as the submarine launch versions of the BrahMos missile. The report said that Indian Army has already ordered for the BrahMos missile to induct into three regiments. Out of the three, two regiments have already become operational.
The Union Defence Ministry has given the green light to the Army for the third regiment, equipped with the advanced BrahMos missile system, to be deployed in Arunachal Pradesh.
