Newgen BrahMos with increased strength; Defence Minister inaugurates new unit in Lucknow

NEW DELHI: India is all set to enhance the power of the BrahMos cruise missile, which destroyed Pakistan's air bases. It is the fastest and most accurate missile in the world.

Only India has developed the fastest missile that can be fired even from a moving truck. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh inaugurated a new centre in Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, for manufacturing more modernised BrahMos missiles.

The Lucknow unit will manufacture and test the existing supersonic BrahMos cruise missiles by integrating components. An order of Rs 20,000 crore has been placed for 250 BrahMos missiles for the Army and the Air Force. 80 to 100 missiles can be manufactured here annually.

Rajnath Singh inaugurated the BrahMos Aerospace Integration and Testing Facility for missile integration and testing and the Titanium and Super Alloys Materials Plant for manufacturing aerospace and defence equipment. The cost is Rs 300 crore.

The foundation stone of the Defence Testing Infrastructure System (DTIS) was laid. The hypersonic missile, called BrahMos-II, is being built in the workshop. The BrahMos unit was prepared in three and a half years on 80 hectares of land provided free of cost by the UP government.

First strike on Pakistan

The maiden battle of Brahmos took place on May 10. Brahmos was fired from a Sukhoi-30 aircraft.

In addition to the radars in Pasrur and Sialkot in Pakistan, the Brahmos proved its strike capability by causing massive damage to the Rafiqui (Shorkot), Murid (Chakwal), Rahim Yar Khan, Sukkur, Chunian (Kasur) air bases and the Skardu, Bholari, Jacobabad and Sargodha airfields.

New generation 'dwarf'

• 290 km range, three and a half times the speed of sound, six meters long, 1,290 kg in weight (currently 2,900 kg), and flies low so it does not get caught by radars.
• Up to 100-150 missiles will be manufactured annually in Lucknow
• Indigenous airframe and booster. (Currently Russian)
• Due to its light weight, three can be mounted on a fighter jet.
• Can be launched from torpedo tubes

Current missile

• Range of 400-700 km
• 2.8 times the speed of sound
• Can not be seen by radars.
• Deployed on seven types of warships.
• Three Brahmos regiments for the Army.
• In the Air Force on Sukhoi-30 aircraft.

India-Russia venture:

• BrahMos was developed by BrahMos Aerospace, a joint venture between DRDO and Russia's NPO Mashinostroyeniya.
• BrahMos was named after the Brahmaputra River in India and the Moskva River in Russia.
• India holds 50.5% and Russia 49.5% stake in the joint venture, which was launched on December 5, 1995.

"The roar of the Indian Forces reached Rawalpindi, Pakistan"

- Defence Minister Rajnath Singh

"Pakistan has truly understood the power of BrahMos."

- Yogi Adityanath, UP Chief Minister