A model of BrahMos NG. (Photo via Twitter)
Gandhinagar: The Indian Air Force will get the BrahMos NG, the next-generation of the BrahMos supersonic cruise missiles, to arm its fleets of LCA Tejas and Sukhoi-30MKI. The new variant of the missile, which is already in service with the armed forces, is under design and development stage and the IAF may get it by 2025.
Talking to a reporter at the DefExpo 2022 event here, Group Captain MK Srivastava (retired), general manager of BrahMos Aerospace (Air Version), said, “We are looking for a range close to 300km and since we are still in the design stage there is a possibility of tweaking the range. It could be plus or minus three kilometres here and there.” He said the first BrahMos NG missiles would be for land-based targets. It will be followed by the version that can hit sea-based targets.
He said, “We are looking for the land targets at our first attempt and once we achieve that we migrate to the sea target.” He said it would take 10–12 months to develop the missile to hit sea targets after the successful development of the missile that can hit land targets.
Talking about the timeframe the missile would be developed and produced, Srivastava said, “We are expecting that from the time we sign the contract and there is funding available it will take 2–2.5 years. But notwithstanding the funding, we have started certain processes with our own reserves, so that we meet the timeline and realize the missile at the earliest.”
Since next-generation BrahMos is lighter, smaller, and compact, it can be fitted on several platforms.
“Right now, the plan is to fit it in Sukhoi-30MKI and LCA Tejas. Within the country, we are looking at these two platforms,” Srivastava said.
Already, the IAF has around 40 Sukhoi-30MKIs that had been modified to carry and fire the current version of the BrahMos missile. The IAF has carried out several test-firing of the missile on land- and sea-based targets from the modified Sukhoi-30MKIs.
Speaking on the export potential of BrahMos NG, Srivastava said, “It has got a huge potential for export in comparison to existing missiles because of the weight, which is much less. So, it fits on many platforms, and we are definitely looking for export definitely that is one of our KRA (key result area),” adding, “In the next 3-4 years, we will start exporting it.”
Srivastava also pointed out that as several countries are operating with smaller fighter aircraft, the BrahMos NG – being the lighter, compact, and smaller – will fit into those jets. The BrahMos NG will weigh 1.6 tonnes and will be 6 metres long. The current version of the missile, which is in service, weighs 3 tonnes and is 9 metres long.
The BrahMos NG will have a homemade seeker with an AESA radar. It will have a range of 290 kilometres and a speed of up to Mach 3.5. It will also have a lesser radar cross-section in comparison to the current version.
Several African countries and West Asian countries have showed interest in the BrahMos NG.
