BrahMos
SOURCE: IDRW.ORG
Earlier this month, the Supreme Court of India dismissed a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) that sought to halt the export of Indian defense equipment to Israel, citing allegations of war crimes by Tel Aviv in Gaza. The court’s refusal to intervene was rooted in the fact that foreign policy is not within its jurisdiction, deferring the matter to the executive. However, the issue raised by the PIL transcends Israel and touches on a broader debate critical to India’s aspirations to become a major defense exporter.
The question of whether a country should regulate its defence exports based on the actions of its buyers in global conflicts is a normative one. It requires India to balance its moral standing with its strategic and economic ambitions in the global defence market. This debate has gained importance as India seeks to transition from one of the world’s largest arms importers to a competitive exporter of weapons and military systems.
Continue readingSOURCE: RAUNAK KUNDE / NEWS BEAT / IDRW.ORG
India’s Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) is pushing the boundaries of missile technology with the proposed Hypersonic Missile Development Program under Project Vishnu. As part of this initiative, DRDO has set its sights on developing two long-range hypersonic missile systems. One of the most anticipated outcomes is the creation of the Hypersonic Cruise Missile (HCM), designed to revolutionize India’s strike capabilities and offer a formidable deterrent.
The Hypersonic Cruise Missile (HCM) will have a range of 1,000 km, and DRDO aims for it to enter production by the late 2020s. Unlike traditional cruise missiles, hypersonic weapons travel at speeds exceeding Mach 5, making them nearly impossible to intercept. According to recent developments, DRDO is working to outpace Russia’s 3M22 Zircon, a nuclear-capable hypersonic cruise missile, by targeting a speed beyond Mach 9 for the Indian HCM.
Continue readingSOURCE: RAUNAK KUNDE / NEWS BEAT / IDRW.ORG
The BrahMos Aerospace, the Indo-Russian joint venture behind the world’s only supersonic cruise missile, is gearing up for its next technological leap. The company is now focused on developing a near-hypersonic variant of the BrahMos missile, aiming to push its speed to an unprecedented Mach 5.
Currently cruising at Mach 3, the BrahMos is already a formidable weapon. However, the corporation believes that a further speed boost will render it virtually impossible to intercept by modern air defence systems. To achieve this, BrahMos is working on an improved ramjet engine capable of propelling the missile to near-hypersonic speeds.
Continue readingSOURCE: RAUNAK KUNDE / NEWS BEAT / IDRW.ORG
The Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) is gearing up to revisit its long-standing ambition of developing a long-range supersonic cruise missile. This development comes as a potential complement or replacement to the existing BrahMos cruise missile system.
A concept for such a missile was initially unveiled by DRDO in 2010. This prototype boasted an impressive Mach 3.2 speed and a range exceeding 600 kilometres. A standout feature was its unique airframe-integrated air intakes, drawing inspiration from the air intakes of the iconic MiG-25 fighter jet.
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In a significant development aimed at bolstering India’s strategic deterrence capabilities, the BrahMos Aerospace has initiated work on an extended-range version of its air-launched cruise missile (ALCM). The new missile, an evolution of the existing BrahMos-A, is set to boast a formidable range of 800 kilometers, significantly enhancing the Indian Air Force’s (IAF) strike capabilities.
Currently armed with the 450km range BrahMos-A, the IAF’s Sukhoi-30MKI fleet is poised to become even more potent with the integration of the extended-range variant. To accommodate the heavier payload, the Sukhoi-30MKI will undergo structural enhancements, primarily focusing on reinforcing the mid and rear fuselage sections. Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) is entrusted with this critical modification to ensure the aircraft can safely carry the 2.5-ton missile.
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