SOURCE: AFI
Dr. Sudhir Kumar Mishra, former Director General (BrahMos) at the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), has categorically dismissed Pakistani media claims that the BrahMos supersonic cruise missile, launched from India’s Su-30 MKI fighter jet, can be intercepted by Pakistan’s air defense systems. In a scathing rebuttal to what he termed “propaganda,” Dr. Mishra asserted that the BrahMos is invincible against any known air defense system globally, including those of Pakistan and China, and even dismissed speculative claims about intercepting hypersonic projectiles.
Speaking to CNN-18, Dr. Mishra emphasized the BrahMos missile’s unparalleled capabilities, developed through a joint venture between India and Russia. “The BrahMos is a supersonic cruise missile. It cannot be intercepted by the air defense systems of Pakistan or China. In fact, it cannot be intercepted by any known defense system in the world,” he stated, underscoring its technological edge. With a speed of Mach 2.8 (nearly three times the speed of sound), the missile’s agility and precision make it a formidable weapon.
The BrahMos, with a range starting at 300 km and extending further in advanced variants, is equipped with a conventional warhead designed for maximum impact. “Within minutes, we can reach 300 km and cause huge damage to critical infrastructure like runways or enemy air bases,” Dr. Mishra explained. Its versatility is a key strength, with variants including land-to-land, land-to-ship, ship-to-land, and air-to-ground configurations, the latter launched from the Indian Air Force’s Su-30 MKI jets.
Dr. Mishra highlighted the BrahMos’s cruise missile characteristics, which allow it to follow unpredictable low-to-high trajectories, making detection by ship-based or ground-based radars nearly impossible. “BrahMos is very difficult for any radar to detect. It’s accurate to the pinpoint level,” he said, emphasizing its ability to strike targets with surgical precision.
The missile’s ability to disable enemy assets was a focal point of Dr. Mishra’s remarks. “If we launch BrahMos toward an enemy air base, we can create significant damage, rendering their assets unusable,” he said. This makes BrahMos a critical tool for India’s defense strategy, capable of neutralizing airfields, naval vessels, or strategic installations in minutes.
Dr. Mishra took pride in BrahMos’s indigenous roots and its exclusivity. “India and Russia are the only countries with a liquid-fueled supersonic cruise missile. Even the United States doesn’t have this technology,” he said. While the BrahMos project benefits from Russian collaboration, its core systems, including guidance, warhead, and integration with Indian platforms like the Su-30 MKI, are developed indigenously by DRDO and BrahMos Aerospace. This aligns with India’s ‘Aatmanirbhar Bharat’ initiative to achieve self-reliance in defense manufacturing.
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