India on Wednesday successfully test-fired the submarine-launched version of the supersonic BrahMos cruise missile from a submerged platform in the Bay of Bengal off the coast of Visakhapatnam. The DRDO said the missile took off vertically from the submerged platform for its full range of 290 km. India now plans to integrate the missile on the second line of six conventional submarines to be built with foreign technology after floating a global tender shortly. “Following a pre-defined trajectory, the missile emerged from under water, took a turn towards the designated target meeting all mission objectives. All the telemetry and tracking stations, including Indian naval ships positioned throughout the flight path, confirmed the pin-point accuracy of the mission. This is the first time that any supersonic cruise missile has been launched vertically from a submerged platform,” the DRDO said, adding that the test was carried out at 2.10 pm. The DRDO said the BrahMos, which will be vertically installed in a modular launcher in the pressure hull of the submarine, will increase the “offensive power” of the vessel without compromising on its “defensive power” as the torpedo tubes can be fully utilised for defence. Sources said the missile will be fully ready for fitment in the modern submarines of the Indian Navy in the vertical launch configuration which will make these submarines one of the most powerful weapon platforms in the world. Indian defence scientists aided by Russians “specialists” worked with the Indian Navy for the launch of the missile. The DRDO said the naval variant of the BrahMos missile has already proved its mettle in both vertical and inclined launch configurations from moving warships. “The missile has been successfully inducted in a number of frontline Indian Navy warships and will be deployed in other future surface ships. They are capable of both maritime strike and land attack,” the DRDO said. The BrahMos missiles have been jointly developed by India and Russia.
