'Prime Strike Weapon' BrahMos Missile successfully test-fired from INS Chennai

New Delhi, Oct 19: In a major success for India, BrahMos, the supersonic cruise missile was successfully test-fired today from Indian Navy’s indigenously-built stealth destroyer INS Chennai, hitting a target in the Arabian Sea. The missile hit the target successfully with pinpoint accuracy after performing high-level and extremely complex manoeuvres.

 

  

 

"BrahMos as ‘prime strike weapon’ will ensure the warship’s invincibility by engaging naval surface targets at long ranges, thus making the destroyer another lethal platform of Indian Navy. The highly versatile BrahMos has been jointly designed, developed and produced by India and Russia," the Defence Ministry stated.

 

 

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh congratulated DRDO, BrahMos and Indian Navy for the successful launch. Secretary DDR&D & Chairman DRDO Dr G Satheesh Reddy, congratulated the scientists and all personnel of DRDO, BrahMos, Indian Navy and industry for the successful feat. He stated that BrahMos missiles will add to the capabilities of Indian Armed Forces in many ways.

 

 

Recently, DRDO had successfully test-fired an extended range BrahMos supersonic cruise missile which is capable of hitting targets situated over 400 kilometres away.

 

Part of Indian Navy's Project 15A, INS Chennai was commissioned into service by erstwhile defence minister Manohar Parrikar in 2016. Among the largest destroyers constructed in India, INS Chennai comes armed with supersonic surface-to-surface BrahMos missiles and Barak-8 Long-Rang Surface-to-Air missiles.

 

In addition to this, its undersea warfare capability includes indigenously developed anti-submarine weapons and sensors, prominently the hull-mounted sonar HUMSA-NG, heavyweight torpedo tube launchers, rocket launchers and towed array sonar capability. For defence against enemy missiles, INS Chennai is fitted with 'Kavach' chaff decoy system and for protection from enemy torpedoes, has 'Mareech' torpedo decoy system, both developed in India.