Indian defence scientists will be conducting the final trials of the supersonic cruise missile Brahmos in two months before going into full co-production with Russia for the armed forces of both the countries, before targeting the global market.
Disclosing this to rediff.com in Bangalore on Thursday, V K Aatre, scientific adviser to the defence minister, said the two countries had set up a joint venture in which India holds 61 per cent and Russia 39 per cent stake.
"Cruising almost three times faster than sound at Mach 2.8, the Brahmos missile will be the first of kind in the world, to be deployed first by the Indian Navy and the Russian Navy, when it goes into production in 2004," Aatre said.
"All the trials so far have successfully proved its capabilities. The final trials will be conducted by firing the missile from a ship sometime in February 2003," he added.
The Brahmos missiles can be launched from multiple platforms, including mobile launchers, ships, ground, and aircraft. Its system can be configured to fire from shore to ship, ship to ship, ship to shore, air to ship, and ship to air.
"Once we demonstrate to the world the missile's proven capabilities by inducting them in our armed forces, we will be in a position to market it globally, as its potential runs into billions of dollars," Aatre claimed.
Declining to comment on the seed capital of the joint venture, Aatre said, "It would be in millions of dollars." At the development stage, the project cost was estimated to be about Rs 1,250 crore (Rs 12.50 billion).
Besides two major Indian private companies, a number of smaller Indian and Russian companies would be involved in its co-production, and outsourcing of several components, accessories, and avionics. He did not reveal the companies' names.
Incorporating the most advanced technologies, Brahmos is intended to enhance the effectiveness of the Indian and Russian armed forces, especially of their navies.
The missile was successfully test-fired for the first time from the intermediate test range at Chandipur-on-sea in Orissa in July 2001, and subsequently in April this year.
Interestingly, the cruise missile has been coined Brahmos, signifying the spirit of joint collaboration between India and Russia by linking the names of the mighty Indian river Brahmaputra in the north-east and the Russian river Moskva.
The missile uses propulsion from Russia and guidance system from India. Once inducted, the missile will be far superior to the US Tomahawk and Russian Moskit.
According to Brahmos project CEO Sivathanu Pillai, the missile is capable of delivering a warhead weighing up to 300 kg and has range of 300 km.
"We have set up two branch offices at Hyderabad and Moscow for vendor development. Some countries in South East Asia, including Malaysia, besides South Africa have evinced interest in purchasing the Brahmos," Pillai said.
