BRAHMOS MISSILE (Syllabus: GS Paper 3 – Sci & Tech)

Context: The Indian military recently conducted successful trials of the BrahMos supersonic cruise missiles.

BrahMos

• BRAHMOS represents a collaborative effort between India's Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) and Russia's NPOM.
• The name BRAHMOS is derived from the rivers Brahmaputra and Moskva.
• The missile serves both Anti-Ship and Land-Attack roles through two variants.
• BrahMos operates at Mach 2.8, making it one of the fastest cruise missiles, with a launch weight ranging from 2,200 to 3,000 kg.
• Employing the "Fire and Forget" principle, it utilizes various flight modes enroute to its target.
• The missile incorporates stealth technology for reduced radar visibility and includes an inertial navigation system (INS) for targeting both ships and land.