PUNE — The Indian Armed Forces is all set to induct its supersonic Brahmos missile in all its three forces. After successful trials of Brahmos missile, the missile is to be integrated into all three wings of the armed forces according to Dr. A. Shivathanu Pillai, chief executive and managing director (Brahmos) and chief of the Defense Research and Development Organization (DRDO).
Pillai was speaking at the inauguration of a national seminar on Advances in Electroceramics at the Armament Research and Development Establishment (ARDE) here.
"Future wars will be fought in a very limited time-frame. Thus, weapon systems have to be deployed fast, will have to have to be accurate and designed in such a way that the users suffer minimum causality," Pillai said.
The Brahmos missile is to be fitted in Sukhoi-Mki , which is the Indian Air Force (IAFs) state-of-the-art multirole combat aircraft, and Lohegaon near Pune is IAF's only air base which currently houses three squadrons of these aircraft.
"Preparation of supersonic missiles on submarines are over and we are waiting for a submarine for the missile test," Pillai said, adding that the missiles next trial of the air-to-land version has been planned next year from a Sukhoi-Mki fighter jet.
Explaining the key feature of the Brahmos missile, Pillai said that it is a 290 kilometer range missile that can be launched from a variety of platforms on land, sea, sub-sea or from the air. The missile was redesigned at the request of the IAF.
The Brahmos missile is a product of an Indo-Russian joint venture and will be available for marketing. Inquiries have already been received from many countries.
The Indian Navy has already approved fitting three of its latest Talwar-class warships with Brahmos, said Pillai. "The Talwar ships are being contracted to Russia and will come fitted with the missile. The Navy has already decided that the missile would be its mainstay weapon for all ships built in India or abroad.
A senior IAF official said that Pune is a strategic location for the IAF and the Sukhois protect vital offshore installation and other commercial establishments in Bombay. With Brahmos being fitted onto the Sukhois, the strategic importance of Lohegaon will further increase.
