According to TASS, the Russian state-owned news agency, a BrahMos Aerospace official said that flight trials of the New Generation BrahMos (BrahMos NG) will start by the end of 2025.
The company’s new manufacturing plant, being constructed in Lucknow, is scheduled to start operations in late 2025 or early 2026, and the components of the first BrahMos NG prototype are also planned to be assembled there, he said.
According to Atul Dinkar Rane, the CEO of BrahMos Aerospace, the company will initially test the air-launched variant of the BrahMos NG. Subsequently, land, ship, and submarine-launched variants will also be developed, as he informed TASS earlier.
The Indian Air Force is planning to purchase 400 BrahMos NG missiles for an estimated cost of 8000 crores. The company aims to produce 80-100 missiles per year in the plant currently under construction.
All about BrahMos NG
The BrahMos NG project aims to reduce the size of the missile while maintaining the range of 290 km, which is the range of the baseline version of the BrahMos.
While the land and ship-launched versions of the BrahMos missile weigh 3 tons, and the air-launched BrahMos A weighs 2.5 tons, BrahMos NG will weigh half of the current BrahMos variants.
The company will increase the speed of BrahMos NG to Mach 3.5 compared to Mach 2.8 of the BrahMos, and the new missile will feature improved stealth technologies to avoid radar detection.
The new missile is also expected to cost 50 per cent less than the current version.
The Indian Air Force heavily modified at least 40 Su30 jets to carry Brahmos A due to its heavy weight. To overcome this limitation, the service fully supports the BrahMos NG project, which can also be launched from Tejas, MiG-29, and Mirage 2000 fleets, each capable of carrying 2 missiles, along with the 260 Su30 fleet.
Therefore, the new missile will significantly enhance the IAF’s offensive strike capability with increased firepower, capable of destroying high-value targets in well-defended areas.
The Indian Army has also inducted BrahMos missiles in significant numbers, making it a key weapon for conventional strike missions. BrahMos Aerospace has been continuously increasing the range of the BrahMos to go beyond 500 km since India joined the Missile Technology Control Regime (MTCR) in 2016.
The new missile will enable forces to strike targets within battlefield range with improved speed and precision, along with a much lower cost.
Currently, Indian submarines launch cruise missiles from their 533 mm torpedo tubes. While it’s not possible to fit BrahMos (600mm) into these tubes, BrahMos NG (500mm) can also be launched from submarines. Additionally, the new missile offers flexibility to Indian warships depending on mission requirements.
Export orders
The company’s officials also stated that the portfolio of orders for the BrahMos missile has already reached $7 billion, comprising both Indian and export orders.
Following the purchase of BrahMos by the Philippines, 12 more countries are in talks with the company to purchase this unmatched supersonic cruise missile.
BrahMos Aerospace believes that BrahMos NG will lead India’s defence exports in the future.
Conclusion
The BrahMos NG project marks a significant advancement in India’s defence capabilities. Scheduled to start flight trials by the end of 2025, this new missile promises improved speed, precision, and stealth features at a lower cost. With its versatile launch options and potential for exports, BrahMos NG will strengthen India’s defense capabilities and exports.
