Indian Army Successfully Conducts Combat Launch of BrahMos Supersonic Cruise Missile

Indian Army Successfully Conducts Combat Launch of BrahMos Supersonic Cruise Missile

Why in News?

The Indian Army successfully conducted a combat launch of the BrahMos Supersonic Cruise Missile from a Bay of Bengal test range on December 1, 2025, reinforcing operational readiness, strategic deterrence and national security.

Highlights of Indian Army’s BrahMos Supersonic Cruise Missile Launch

• The Indian Army successfully fired the BrahMos missile from a test range over the Bay of Bengal on 1 December 2025. The launch was conducted by a BrahMos unit under the Army’s Southern Command, with support from the Andaman & Nicobar Command.
• The missile was equipped with advanced guidance and control systems. It demonstrated high-speed stability and terminal accuracy. It validates that the missile units are operationally ready and capable of executing combat missions if required.
• The missile struck its designated target with “pinpoint accuracy.” The launch met all mission parameters under simulated combat conditions. This demonstrates that BrahMos’s guidance and control systems remain robust and reliable.

What is the BrahMos Supersonic Cruise Missile?

• • About: The BrahMos missile is a supersonic cruise missile jointly developed by Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), India and NPO Mashinostroyenia (NPOM), Russia. Its name is a blend of two river names — “Brahmaputra” from India and “Moskva” from Russia, symbolising the Indo‑Russian partnership behind the project.

• Background: The formal journey of BrahMos began after the two nations signed an inter‑governmental agreement in February 1998 to establish a joint venture company, BrahMos Aerospace (BA), for the design, development, manufacture and marketing of the missile. India holds a slight majority stake 50.5% in this venture while Russia holds 49.5%.

• • The missile made its maiden successful test flight on 12 June 2001. This first launch was conducted from a stationary vertical launcher off the coast of Chandipur in Odisha. That flight validated the basic design and functioning of BrahMos.
  • After the successful test, BrahMos Aerospace displayed the missile at the global defence exhibition MAKS in Moscow in 2001, drawing attention from international defence circles.
  • Over the years, the missile system underwent multiple test trials. The missile system achieved “operational status” first with the Indian Navy in 2005. The next induction came with the Indian Army in 2007. An aerial version of BrahMos compatible with fighter jets was later developed and eventually tested.
  • In 2008, to meet increasing demand from Indian armed forces and to scale up production, BrahMos Aerospace acquired an Indian state‑owned firm, which was renamed for manufacturing and integration of BrahMos components and missiles inside India.
  • Over time, its design has been refined to match user requirements from all three services — Navy, Army, and Air Force. Later, work began on an extended‑range variant (BrahMos‑ER) to enable striking targets at greater distances. First tests for extended‑range capability took place around March 2017. By July 2019, the company declared that a 500 km‑range version was ready. 

Technological Features and Capabilities of BrahMos

• Range: BrahMos is a supersonic cruise missile. Its standard version has a range of about 290 km. Some extended‑range variants are reported to reach 500 km or more depending on the configuration.

• Speed: The missile travels at speeds between Mach 2.8 and Mach 3 (roughly three times the speed of sound) throughout its cruise phase. BrahMos maintains supersonic speed through the entire flight, which sharply reduces the time between launch and impact.

• Warhead & Dimension: The warhead weight lies in the range of 200 to 300 kg when conventional high‑explosive or semi‑armour‑piercing warheads are used. The missile is roughly 8.2 metres long, with a diameter around 0.7 m and a wingspan approximately 1.7 metres (varies slightly with variant). 

• Propulsion: The propulsion system of BrahMos uses a two‑stage design. In the first stage a solid-propellant rocket booster gives the missile its initial acceleration. Once the booster burns out the second stage—a liquid-fueled ramjet (air-breathing) engine takes over. This ramjet sustainer provides efficient fuel use and maintains the missile’s high supersonic cruise speed.

• Flight Profile: During flight, the missile can cruise at altitudes up to about 15 km, and in its terminal phase it can descend to very low altitudes as low as a few metres above sea surface to strike sea or land targets. 

• • Guidance System: BrahMos uses an advanced guidance system that combines Inertial Navigation System (INS) and satellite navigation (e.g. GPS/GLONASS/NavIC) for mid-course guidance. For the final terminal phase, it uses an active radar homing system (radar seeker) to lock on the target precisely. 
  • Strike Capability: The missile is built on a “fire-and-forget” principle. This means once launched it does not need further external guidance. These systems allow BrahMos to achieve high accuracy in target engagement. BrahMos can hit both sea and land targets, including moving ships or fixed high-value ground installations.

• Tactical Advantage: The missile’s kinetic energy at impact becomes very large because of its high velocity. Compared with subsonic cruise missiles, BrahMos offers about three times greater velocity, 2.5 to 3 times longer flight range (depending on variant), 3–4 times higher seeker/detection range, and 9 times more kinetic energy.

• Stealth Features: BrahMos design incorporates low radar cross-section (RCS) features to reduce detectability by enemy radar systems. Its compact structure and aerodynamic shape help in minimizing radar signature. The missile’s ability to cruise at high altitude and then descend to sea-skimming low altitude just metres above the surface makes its approach harder to track by radar or air‑defence systems.

• Flexibility: BrahMos is built as a universal missile. It supports multiple launch platforms — including land‑based mobile launchers, naval ships, submarines, and aircraft (air-launched variant) depending on variant and modifications. This versatility enables the weapon to support a variety of mission types: anti‑ship, land‑attack, coastal strike, or pre‑emptive strikes.

Different Versions of BrahMos Missile 

• BrahMos Block I: The BrahMos Block I version represents the earliest operational configuration for the Indian Army. The missile uses a GPS assisted guidance package that improves terminal accuracy. The system entered formal service in 2007 after repeated user trials in Pokhran. The variant demonstrates strong performance against fixed land targets. 

• • BrahMos Block II: The BrahMos Block II version offers enhanced target discrimination for complex land environments. The Army tested the version in 2009 during multiple high precision trials. The missile maintains supersonic speed until impact which increases kinetic energy. 
  • BrahMos Block III: The BrahMos Block III version supports steep dive capability for mountain warfare. The system underwent successful demonstration in 2011 during trials in the Andaman and Nicobar region. The missile hits targets located behind high ridges due to its special flight profile. The version forms part of long range fire units in the eastern sector.

• BrahMos Land Based: The BrahMos Land Based Version uses a mobile autonomous launcher that carries three missiles in a single vehicle. The Indian Army inducted the first regiment in 2007 after successful field tests by DRDO and NPOM Russia. The system supports shoot and scoot tactics that enhance battlefield survivability.

• BrahMos Naval Ship Launched: The BrahMos Naval Ship Launched Version became operational in 2005 with the Indian Navy. The missile fires from vertical launch systems installed on frontline destroyers and frigates. The missile performs sea skimming to avoid radar detection. The missile enables surface warships to hit enemy ships.

• BrahMos Submarine Launched: The BrahMos Submarine Launched Version completed its first underwater launch test in 2013 from a submerged platform. The missile ejects from a torpedo tube before the engine ignites. The version supports deep strike capability for underwater platforms.

• BrahMos Air Launched: The BrahMos Air Launched Version became the heaviest air launched cruise missile in the world in 2017 after its first combat aircraft firing from a Su-30MKI. The missile weighs around 2.5 tonnes after necessary modifications. The system supports precision attacks against high value targets.

• BrahMos NG (Next Generation): The BrahMos NG version is a lighter and smaller missile under development since 2017. The missile weighs nearly half of the original version and reaches a speed above Mach 3. The Air Force plans to integrate this version on multiple fighter aircraft including the Tejas. 

• BrahMos ER (Extended Range): The BrahMos ER version expands the range beyond 450 km after India joined the MTCR in 2016. DRDO tested the range enhanced variant in 2021 with full success. The missile retains all supersonic characteristics. The version improves strategic depth for long range missions.

• BrahMos II (Hypersonic Prototype): The BrahMos II version remains under development as a hypersonic missile concept. The design targets speeds above Mach 7 with a scramjet engine. The program entered its initial concept stage in 2008 under joint work by DRDO and Russia. The missile aims to shorten reaction time for strategic missions. 

Significance of BrahMos Supersonic Cruise Missile

• Deterrence & Combat Readiness: The deployment of BrahMos strengthens India’s deterrence against adversaries. Its high speed and precision strike capability make it a credible response option to threats. The missile’s performance under real‑time conditions shows that India can respond with force when national interests are threatened.
• Tri‑Service Integration: BrahMos supports operations across land, sea, and air platforms. This flexibility enables joint operations where different branches coordinate to deliver a unified strike. The tri‑service integration improves operational synergy and strengthens India’s ability to conduct coordinated missions across domains.
• Boost to Indigenous Defence: BrahMos is a product of collaboration between DRDO of India and its Russian partner. Over the years India has increased the local content in the missile’s manufacturing. This aligns with national efforts toward self‑reliance in defence production. This reduces dependence on foreign suppliers.
• Enhance Indo‑Pacific Influence: BrahMos dramatically improves India’s maritime strike capability. The navy plans to arm its fleet with hundreds of BrahMos missiles by 2030. The presence of BrahMos‑armed ships near strategic chokepoints in the Indian Ocean can shape maritime balance in the region.
• Export Potential: BrahMos is not only a domestic asset but also a tool for defence diplomacy. India has already exported the missile to other countries, reinforcing its role as a defence technology supplier. Such exports enhance India’s strategic ties and influence with partner nations.