The second BrahMos cruise missile regiment of ground systems with mobile launchers, command post, replenishment systems, fire-control systems with sophisticated electronic hardware and software and multiple communication systems was delivered to the Army here on Wednesday.
The systems were handed over by Union Minister of State for Defence, M. M. Pallam Raju, to Lt. Gen. Vinod Nayanar, Director General, Artillery, in the presence of A. S. Pillai, CEO and MD, BrahMos Aerospace. P. Venugopalan, Director, DRDL, and Brig. Mehta, Deputy Director-General, Military Operations were among those present.Mr. Raju said the BrahMos was a versatile system and available in multiple versions.
Ahead of schedule
“I am glad to know that this regiment is being delivered ahead of schedule. This shows BrahMos' commitment to its customer.” He wanted the industries' greater participation in producing the systems in order to meet the demand of the armed forces.
Lt. Gen. Nayanar said that while the Army had guns for near- range and Smerch rockets for range of 75 km, BrahMos was the only system that gave tremendous fire power capability to the armed forces for targets beyond 75 km and as deep as 300 km.
Dr. Pillai spoke of the formation of a missile industry complex with a network of public and private sector industries who were tirelessly working for producing BrahMos missiles for meeting the demand of all the three services. The induction of BrahMos has helped the Army in multiplying its capabilities manifold, he added.
Supersonic speed
Describing the system, he said that its supersonic speed (Mach 2.8) all through its 290-km range, precision of near-zero circular error probability and devastating power — nine times more kinetic energy than sub-sonic cruise missiles — has made BrahMos world leader in cruise missile technology and the preferred first strike weapon of the armed forces.
