The Indian Navy’s newly commissioned INS Visakhapatnam successfully test-fired an extended range sea-to-sea variant of the BrahMos supersonic cruise missile on Tuesday, according to the Defence Research and Development Organisation.
“From INS Visakhapatnam, an enhanced sea-to-sea variant of the BrahMos Supersonic Cruise missile was tested today.” “The missile precisely hit the specified target ship,” the agency wrote on Twitter.
The launch was also hailed as a success by the Navy.”The successful test-firing of the Indian Navy’s newest indigenously-built guided missile destroyer, INS Visakhapatnam, with the extended-range BrahMos Supersonic Cruise missile symbolises a twofold achievement: The ship’s fighting system and weaponry complex have been certified for accuracy. In a tweet, it stated that it “validates a new capability afforded by the missile to the Navy and the Nation.”
BrahMos, which was originally deployed on Navy warships in 2005, has the potential to hit sea-based targets beyond the radar horizon.
The Navy’s indigenously-built stealth destroyer INS Chennai and Rajput-class destroyer INS Ranvijay first tested the naval variant in October and December 2020, respectively.
This version of the missile is designed to fire from moving/stationary assets in either a vertical or horizontal mode, targeting both land and water targets. The missiles, which travel at 2.8 Mach, or nearly three times the speed of sound, greatly improve the ships’ ability to engage long-range targets.
Rajnath Singh, the Defence Minister, thanked the DRDO and other stakeholders on the launch on Tuesday.
Advanced sea to sea variant of BrahMos Supersonic Cruise missile was tested from INS Visakhapatnam today. Missile hit the designated target ship precisely. @indiannavy @BrahMosMissile#SashaktBharat#AtmaNirbharBharat pic.twitter.com/BbnazlRoM4
— DRDO (@DRDO_India) January 11, 2022
The robustness of @indiannavy mission readiness is reconfirmed today after successful launch of the advanced version of BrahMos Missile from INS Vishakhapatnam today. I congratulate the wonderful team work of @indiannavy @DRDO_India & @BrahMosMissile. https://t.co/MeddXACp1q
— Rajnath Singh (@rajnathsingh) January 11, 2022
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