PJ-10 BrahMos - Ground Launched

BrahMos, the world's best supersonic cruise missile, has evolved out of the joint efforts of Indian and Russian scientists, under the joint venture offset BrahMos Aerospace, DRDO and NPO Mashinostroyenia of Russia along with a consortium of Indian and Russian industries. The company came into existence consequent to an inter-Governmental agreement signed between the two countries in February 1998. The acronym, BrahMos, is perceived as the confluence of two great nations represented by two great rivers - the fury of river Brahmaputra of India and the grace of river Moscowa of Russia.

The missile can fly at 2.8 times the speed of sound. It can carry warheads up to 200 kg in weight and has a maximum range of 290 km. The missile is capable of being launched from multiple platforms based on land, sea, sub-sea and air. The modular design of the missile and its capability of being launched at different orientations enables it to be integrated with a wide spectrum of platforms like warships, submarines, different types of aircraft, mobile autonomous launchers and silos.

The Land based Weapon Complex comprises of four to six Mobile Autonomous Launchers (MAL) controlled by a Mobile Command Post (MCP), and a Mobile Replenishment Vehicle (MRV). MAL is an autonomous vehicle with its own communication, power supply and fire control system. Three BRAHMOS missiles placed in three independent containers are installed on the MAL. The missiles can be fired on three different targets or in a variety of other combinations near simultaneously. The land based version is also equipped with Inertial Navigation System and Global Positioning System.

Special Features of the Weapon System

• Least number of ground systems
• Autonomous launcher that can launch three missiles on three different targets or in variety of other combinations near simultaneously
• Highly advanced command and control system capable of operating in C4I environment
• Modular configuration capable of adjusting itself to the user or equipment based on the threat perception
• Easy maintenance and longer life
• Air-conditioned control crew cabin with NBC protection

The Indian Army started inducting the land-attack BRAHMOS  Block I version from 2007 after a series of successful test launches, proving the missile’s manoeuvring power, precision hitting of the target and other operative capabilities.

The advanced Block II version of the missile, with supersonic steep dive and target discrimation capabilities,  has also been inducted after successful trials.

Mobile Autonomous Launcher (MAL) is a state-of-the-art Land based Weapon Complex. It consists of three missiles in ready to launch configuration housed in containers, most modern means of communications, Radar receivers for Target information, and an ultra advanced Fire Control System for coordinating the launch.

The indigenously-developed launcher is built on an all terrain high mobility TATRA vehicle. The missiles can be fired in single or salvo of 2 to 3 seconds within four minutes of receiving command, depending on the commanders input, it can fire towards a single or three different targets.

The containers maintain thermal conditioning of the canisters and ensure their interface with the launch beam. While being transported, these containers are carried in horizontal position. The canisters are brought to vertical position through the operation of a high pressure hydraulic system.

The MAL also consists of a 40 kVA diesel-driven generator to maintain power supply. Besides, a single phase UPS with battery backup of 15 minutes is fitted in the vehicle.

The launcher also has various communication equipments, each operating in different frequency bands. The launcher control system (LCS) functions in coordination with fire control system (FCS) and communication system. The MAL has a fully protected equipment cabin from where operations could be carried out in case of nuclear biological chemical (NBC) attack. It also has a containerised power supply system.

In a group of four, the Mobile Autonomous Launchers are controlled by Mobile Command Post (MCP). The MCP provides telemetry and target data with instruction to each MAL for engaging specific targets or a single target. The command post assists in integrating the MAL into the network-centric battlefield area. It is equipped with all modern types of communication systems.

In a landmark development in the defence history of the country, the President and the Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces, Mr A P J Abdul Kalam handed over a replica of the mobile autonomous launchers (MAL) of the BrahMos land system to the Chief of Army Staff, Gen J J Singh, symbolising the commencement of delivery of the supersonic cruise missiles to the Indian Army, at a function in New Delhi on 21 June 2007. The missile is launched from a transport launch canister (TLC) which also acts as storage and transport container.

The Government had approved induction of three regiments of BrahMos missile system in the Indian Army out of which the Army had initially placed the requirement for one regiment. The delivery of this system was to start from July 2008. However, for an early operationalisation of the missile system, the delivery of one mobile command post and two mobile autonomous launchers has been advanced by one year.

The function was attended among others by the Defence Minister, Mr A K Antony, the Minister of State for Defence, Mr M M Pallam Raju, Scientific Advisor to Defence Minister, Mr M Natrajan, the Ambassador of Russia to India, Mr Vyacheslav Trubnikov and the Chief Excutive Officer and Managing Director of BrahMos Aerospace, Dr A Sivathanu Pillai.

Speaking on the occasion, the President Mr A P J Abdul Kalam said, "We have to aggressively market this world-class product which will have a market shelf-life of not more than 5 years." He said there would be competitors who would be developing contemporary products detrimental to the market leadership. "No smart developer can afford to lose the competitive edge which he has generated and hence increasing the orders and continuously improving the products have to be aggressively pursued", he said.

The President said that time has come for BrahMos Aerospace to work on Mark-II version of BrahMos so that it remains the market leader in hyper-sonic cruise missiles. "In the emerging network centric warfare scenario, the fast deployment of hypersonic missile systems will be necessary to maintain our force level supremacy. I visualise long range hypersonic cruise missiles not only delivering pay-loads but also returning to the base after the mission, leading to re-usable class of cruise missiles within the next decade. It is time that the three services work with the team of BrahMos Aerospace to evolve the QR for such a system in a time-bound manner", he said.

Describing the BrahMos joint venture program between India and Russia as a 'great template' for international cooperation, the President said it combined the core competence of the two countries for realising a high-technology product in an extremely competitive global defence market with minimum investment from each side. The President also handed over 61 documents relating to operation and maintenance of each system of BrahMos to Gen J J Singh.

The Prime Minister, Dr Manmohan Singh, in a message on the occasion, described the BrahMos system as one of the most advanced supersonic cruise missiles comparable to the best in the world. While speaking on the occasion, the Defence Minister, Mr A K Antony said that the induction of BrahMos weapon system would equip India with the most powerful supersonic cruise missile which can precisely hit the target. He said the capabilities of the missile system, which have been proved through a series of successful flight trials, would bolster the Indian Army and enhance the defence preparedness of the nation. "In the changing face of the war theatre, induction of BrahMos and similar high-technology systems will play a commanding role in protecting the nation's interests", he added.

Mr Antony, however, said that production orders to the required quantity must be made to make the joint venture economically viable. In order to cater to the growing demands of the Indian and Russian Armed Forces and export market, the production activities have to be geared up, he said.

The Chief of the Army Staff, Gen J J Singh was extremely happy to receive the BrahMos from the Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces. He termed it as a formidable weapon system with a pinpoint accuracy which he had personally witnessed during two flight trials. He commended the joint venture as first of its kind to come out with the world class weapon system in a short time. He also said that the induction of this missile system in the Indian Army would give new dimension to its capabilities and act as a force-multiplier.

Speaking on the occasion, Dr Pillai said when all four versions of BrahMos - ship, mobile complex, air and submarine launched missiles are used in a seamless integration among the various services, it would effectively destroy any kind of threat. "BrahMos will be a war winner and will play a crucial role in the future warfare", he said. Dr Pillai said that DRDO has played a very important role in the development of a number of systems for the missile and ground complex and continues to work on many developmental efforts including INS+Glonass integration, seeker, improved operational software in the network-centric warfare, in close coordination with the Services. He also envisaged a large-scale production of BrahMos of India and Russia in the near future to meet the high levels of demand from India, Russia and other friendly countries.

Earlier on his arrival, the President was received by Defence Minister, Mr A K Antony and other officials. The first regiment of BrahMos missile system was showcased to the President with Army personnel briefing the President and Defence Minister on the operational capabilities of mobile command post and mobile autonomous launcher. The high level of operational capability of the system in targeting and precision delivering was appreciated by the President.

South Western Command’s Corps ‘Strike One’ successfully carried out the firing of the advanced BRAHMOS Block III land attack cruise missile system in the Andaman & Nicobar Islands on the 3rd of May 2017 for the second consecutive day. The successive launches reinforce the formidable weapon’s precision strike capability. The long-range tactical weapon was successfully tested from the same location on the 2nd of May, 2017.

These successful firings of the supersonic cruise missile were carried out in full operational land-to-land configurations from Mobile Autonomous Launchers (MAL) at its full-range. Meeting all flight parameters in a copybook manner while conducting high level and complex manoeuvers, the multi-role missile successfully hit the land-based target with desired precision, in both the trials demonstrating its accuracy of less than one meter.

This was the fifth consecutive time when the Block-III version of BRAHMOS LACM has been successfully launched and hit the land-based target in “top-attack” mode, an incredible feat not achieved by any other weapon system of its genre. Indian Army, which became the first land force in the world to deploy the BRAHMOS in 2007, has raised several regiments of this formidable weapon. Jointly developed by India’s DRDO and Russia’s NPOM, the multi-platform, multi-mission BRAHMOS is capable of being launched from land, sea, sub-sea and air against surface and sea-based targets.