Was at August 24, 2008
PJ-10 BrahMos missile with protective coverings for launch from submarines, or containers on surface ship or land.
The Mach 2.8 supersonic, ramjet-powered BrahMos may be exported in 2009. "2009 should be the year" for announcing export orders, Dr Pillai said. He also said that a major production contract had just been signed.
Dr Pillai also said that warplane designer and manufacturer Sukhoi's workload on other projects, such as the Su-35 and PAK-FA fifth generation fighter has delayed work on creating a platform for the air launched version of the BrahMos. The "critical path" for tests of the air launched version of the BrahMos, is the modification of a Su-30MKI fighter as a test platform.
Sukhoi and the Indian Air Force have decided on a single-missile configuration for the Su-30MKI, rather than a two-or three-missile version. For this, the aircraft needs a new pylon as well as structural strengthening and a modified fire-control system to handle the new missile.
Also under consideration is an air launched version for the Indian Navy's Tu-142 maritime patrol aircraft, which may be modified to carry 6-8 missiles. The dilemma is whether the impending retirement of these aircraft from active service makes their modification worth the effort.
As for a submarine-launched version, the missile has already been launched from a static, underwater test stand in Russia and underwater tests in India will be carried out at the end of the year. The BrahMos's Russian precursor, the 3M55/P-800 Oniks, was designed for submarine launch."
PJ-10 BrahMos missile with protective coverings for launch from submarines, or containers on surface ship or land.
From domain-b.com comes:
"Submarine-launched version of BrahMos missile to be tested in India at year-end news 22 August 2008
-
Moscow: The Indo-Russian BrahMos multi-role supersonic cruise missile is in full production with deliveries being made to Indian Navy and Army. A complete battery of land-based missiles is also in service with the Army, BrahMos Aerospace chief executive, Dr Sivathanu Pillai said here.
Speaking at the MSVS-2008 show in Moscow, he said that the Indo-Russian joint venture is looking at producing 40-50 missiles annually in order to meet Indian requirements. This will be increased to handle export orders.
The Mach 2.8 supersonic, ramjet-powered BrahMos may be exported in 2009. "2009 should be the year" for announcing export orders, Dr Pillai said. He also said that a major production contract had just been signed.
Dr Pillai also said that warplane designer and manufacturer Sukhoi's workload on other projects, such as the Su-35 and PAK-FA fifth generation fighter has delayed work on creating a platform for the air launched version of the BrahMos. The "critical path" for tests of the air launched version of the BrahMos, is the modification of a Su-30MKI fighter as a test platform.
Sukhoi and the Indian Air Force have decided on a single-missile configuration for the Su-30MKI, rather than a two-or three-missile version. For this, the aircraft needs a new pylon as well as structural strengthening and a modified fire-control system to handle the new missile.
Also under consideration is an air launched version for the Indian Navy's Tu-142 maritime patrol aircraft, which may be modified to carry 6-8 missiles. The dilemma is whether the impending retirement of these aircraft from active service makes their modification worth the effort.
As for a submarine-launched version, the missile has already been launched from a static, underwater test stand in Russia and underwater tests in India will be carried out at the end of the year. The BrahMos's Russian precursor, the 3M55/P-800 Oniks, was designed for submarine launch."
-
Further Backround
-
The BrahMos' Russian precursor is the SS-N-26 .
-
Air Power Australia (APA) has this additional background:
-
The shining star in the current export lineup of Russian weapons is the Yakhont, recently licenced by India as the BrahMos A and BrahMos S. China is reported to have purchased the baseline 3M-55 for a number of naval vessels.
-
The ...Yakhont (SS-N-26) is like the Moskit a complete family of supersonic rocket-ramjet missiles. Ship, submarine, air and ground launched variants exist. The missile weighs 3 tonnes at launch, and uses a liquid propellant for the ramjet which propels it at speeds between Mach 2.0 and 2.5.
The ...Yakhont (SS-N-26) is like the Moskit a complete family of supersonic rocket-ramjet missiles. Ship, submarine, air and ground launched variants exist. The missile weighs 3 tonnes at launch, and uses a liquid propellant for the ramjet which propels it at speeds between Mach 2.0 and 2.5.
-
The Yakhont typically cruises to the target area at high altitude, and then descends for a sea skimming attack from under the horizon. The distance at which it begins its descent can be programmed before launch, this determining the achievable range which is between 65 and 160 nautical miles( Refer Tsarev V., Melnikov V., 'Yakhont - New Generation Antiship Missile', Military Parade, Exclusives, 2000.).
-
Indian promotional materials indicate guidance improvements to the BrahMos over the original design, and the intent to deploy shipboard, mobile coastal defence and air delivered variants. There has also been speculation about a land attack or dual role variant, requiring a more accurate midcourse navigation system.
Indian promotional materials indicate guidance improvements to the BrahMos over the original design, and the intent to deploy shipboard, mobile coastal defence and air delivered variants. There has also been speculation about a land attack or dual role variant, requiring a more accurate midcourse navigation system.
-
At 6,000+ lb launch weight, the Yakhont/BrahMos would be carried by Su-27/30 on a centreline adaptor.
At 6,000+ lb launch weight, the Yakhont/BrahMos would be carried by Su-27/30 on a centreline adaptor.
-
Comment
-
Many questions arise from the whole joint India-Russia BrahMos concept.
- What is in it for India?
- What is in it for Russia?
- To what extent has India contributed to the development of the BrahMos?
- Is BrahMos Aerospace a commercial name for teams of DRDO technicians assembling Yakhont/BrahMos with the help of Russian technicians? If yes this would be similar to Australia's old Commonwealth Aircraft Corporation (CAC) which assembled a whole string of (very slightly modified) British and American aircraft and (similar to India (?)) the French Mirage III. Since then all Australia does is import US aircraft and missiles for too many Billions of dollars.
- what is the difference if any between second country development and local modification?
- is Yakhont/BrahMos sales through a neutral country (India) by the usually unpopular Russian bear the main game?