BRAHMOS underwater test-firing by year-end

NEW DELHI (PTI): India will testfire the submarine-launched version of the 290km range BRAHMOS supersonic cruise missile by the end of this year.

"We will testfire the underwater version of the missile by the end of this year after we get the pontoon for the purpose," BrahMos Aerospace chief A Sivathanu Pillai told reporters here.

Underwater weapon-delivery platforms are considered to be the most potent second strike capability of countries' defence strength.

Underwater test launch of BrahMos missile to be carried out in 2011

Russian-Indian joint venture company BrahMos Aerospace has developed submarine-launched modification of BrahMos cruise missile; test launch is scheduled in the current year, said the company's executive director Sivathanu Pillai. 

The company has already developed the submarine-launched version, he said. It is planned to conduct the test launch from drowned platform placed on a special pontoon. The launch is supposed to be performed this year, added the executive director. 

As was previously reported, the Russian-Indian company had developed a modification of BrahMoss upersonic cruise missile designed for submarines. 

Russian-Indian joint venture company BrahMos Aerospace was established in India in 1998 for production of supersonic antiship missiles. The company was founded by NPO Mashinostroyenia (Russia) and Defense Research and Development Organisation (India).

First frigate built for India to start trials in Feb-March

First of three frigates built for Indian Navy by Yantar shipyard (Kaliningrad) will be ready for trials in Feb-March 2011, said today Sivathanu Pillai, the executive director of Russian-Indian joint venture company BrahMos Aerospace. 

One ship has been fully equipped; the second one will be also completed in Feb-March, he said. 

According to Mr. Pillai, the shipyard conducts final works to prepare the frigate for trials. He also said that the new ships could launch BrahMos missiles both in the Baltic Sea and in the Indian Ocean when the first frigate arrives there from Russia. This issue is at the Russian Navy's option, said the executive director.