India and Russia to develop more updated Brahmos missile
By Deepankar Mukherji and Moumita Layek
Russia and India have adopted a plan for their joint BrahMos project, meant to create a new cruise missile capable of downing aircraft equipped with AWACS systems (an advanced Airborne early warning and control).
Russian news agency, while reporting the venture, quoted Alexander Maksichev, Director of the venture, as saying that the missile will be ready for launch by 2024. He noted that while the missiles would have different target-seeking equipment they would use the same platform.
Maksichev had earlier been quoted as saying that the Indian light-weight fighter Tejas will be used as a carrier for the missile.
The BrahMos venture was established by Moscow and New Delhi in 1998 and develops hypersonic missiles —naval-, underwater-, shore-, and air-based. A major surge was faced in demand, with an additional $1 billion increase in orders in six months since the beginning of the year despite the coronavirus pandemic.
