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Indian Army Tests BrahMos - The World's Fastest Operational Cruise Missile
The Indian Army carried out a successful test-firing of the BrahMos missile over the Bay of Bengal on Monday, with the mission executed by a unit of the Southern Command in coordination with the Andaman and Nicobar Command. The missile hit its designated target with accuracy, confirming correct performance across guidance, control and propulsion phases of the launch sequence.
The BrahMos is a supersonic cruise missile jointly developed by India's DRDO and Russia's NPO Mashinostroyeniya under BrahMos Aerospace. It is built for multi-platform use and can be launched from land-based mobile launchers, ships, submarines and aircraft, giving the system a wide operational reach across multiple theatres.
The missile uses a two-stage propulsion system, beginning with a solid-propellant booster that accelerates it off the launcher. Once airborne, a liquid-fuelled ramjet sustainer engine takes over to maintain high supersonic velocity through the cruise phase. The top speed is around Mach 2.8 to Mach 3, making the Brahmos the fastest operational cruise missile in the world.
The standard BrahMos variants cover about 290 kilometres, while upgraded models extend the strike envelope to around 450-500 kilometres. Further extended-range versions are under development with projected capability approaching 800 kilometres, expanding the missile's utility for deep-strike operations for the Indian Armed Forces.
The BrahMos missile operates at variable flight altitudes, cruising as high as fifteen kilometres before descending to sea-skimming levels as low as three to ten metres in the terminal stage. This low-altitude profile helps reduce detection by adversary radar systems while preserving strike accuracy at long distances.
BrahMos carries a warhead weighing between two hundred and three hundred kilograms, depending on the variant. High-explosive and semi-armour-piercing options allow the missile to target vessels or fortified land structures with significant impact energy due to its high-speed terminal approach.
The guidance package includes inertial systems and satellite navigation during the cruise phase, followed by active radar homing in the final segment to lock onto moving or stationary targets. This fire-and-forget architecture enables the launch platform to relocate immediately after firing, improving survivability in contested zones.
The Indian Army Southern Command stated that the test showcased the missile's "precision, speed and destructive power," noting that the strike validated the readiness of operational units tasked with long-range precision missions. Military leadership described the test as an important step in strengthening the country's long-range strike capacity.
The BrahMos cruise missile is recognised globally for its speed, low flight altitude and terminal manoeuvrability, factors that make interception extremely difficult for conventional missile-defence systems. Its deployment across land, sea and air platforms forms a key element of the modern Indian strike doctrine and supports wider objectives under the self-reliance Atmanirbhar framework in defence manufacturing.
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