One of the most famous and most significant projects in the field of military-technical cooperation between Russia and India is the creation of a missile complex armed with a supersonic cruise missile by the joint interstate enterprise BrahMos Aerospace. The very name "BrahMos" personifies the confluence of two rivers - the calm and graceful Moskva River and the fierce, indomitable Brahmaputra. The authorized capital of the company, established more than 10 years ago, is $ 250 million, of which Russia owns 49.5% and India 50.5%.
BraMos Aerospace, Moscow Aviation Institute and JSC MIC Mashinostroenie signed a Memorandum of Understanding on the first day of the MAKS-2011 Aviation and Space Salon. In the presence of Andrei Fursenko, Minister of Education and Science, the signatures on the official document were put to Sivatkhana Pillay, CEO of Bramos Aerospace, Alexander Leonov, CEO of the Military-Industrial Complex Mashinostroenie and Anatoly Gerashchenko, rector of the Moscow Institute.
Answering a question from journalists about the meaning and purpose of the signed agreement, Sivathanu Pillay recalled that India and Russia, within the framework of the first BrahMos project, proved the effectiveness of their cooperation by creating a supersonic cruise missile. But at present, BrahMos Aerospace has identified a more ambitious task for implementation - to build a hypersonic rocket that will be able to reach a speed corresponding to the number M = 7. Within the framework of this project, BraMos Aerospace needs fruitful cooperation with MAI. The initial investment in the educational institution will be approximately $ 1 million. “The product that we will create with the help of this leading institution must be the most progressive in the world. Today we do not want to be in second place in relation to anyone,”Pillay summed up the line.
The missile in question, BrahMos, is not only a supersonic cruise missile, but it is quite possible to use it in the highlands. This was reported to Sivatkhan Pillay during the MAKS-2011 salon. He said that the new rocket is capable of flying around high-mountainous terrain. “After flying over the top of the mountain, it peaks at supersonic speed,” said Pillay. The representative of the Indian side also said that a draft of the aviation version of the new BrahMos rocket had already been practically prepared, and today work was underway related to the carrier aircraft of this rocket. The Indian Ministry of Defense provided two Su-30MKI combat aircraft for the implementation of this project. It is assumed that by the end of 2012 the first launches will be carried out.
MAI rector Anatoly Gerashchenko, in turn, refused to talk about the specific timing of the project of a unique hypersonic missile, while noting that "this work is designed for a long term", but at the same time agreed with Sivatkhanu Pillei that the first results of the work will be known already over the next five years.
Previously, test launches of the rocket presented at MAKS-2011 were made in the mountains and in the desert. During the tests, it was found that the declared by the designers the minimum flight altitude of a supersonic missile is at the level of ten meters, which greatly complicates the task of destroying it. The BrahMos supersonic rocket, created on the basis of the Russian Yakhont rocket, can develop a tremendous speed that is 2, 5-2, 8 times the speed of sound. The BrahMos missile can be launched from coastal installations, submarines, ships, as well as, as indicated above, from Su-30MKI aircraft. There are two versions of weapons in serial production: a variant for the ground forces and a sea-based one.
A version of the BrahMos missile, which is designed for launches from a submarine, is also ready for production and transfer into service. “Our plans for the current year provide for the launch of this missile from a submarine this year,” said Sivathanu Pillay.
The assembly of the supersonic missile is carried out by BraMos Aerospace in Hyderabad, India and the Russian Federal State Unitary Enterprise Production Association Strela in the city of Orenburg. Until 2016, it is planned to produce 1,000 missiles, of which almost half are destined for export to third countries.
Having presented joint weapons at the international salon MAKS-2011, Russia and India once again confirmed their close cooperation in the market for the production of military equipment and weapons, which was under threat of disruption after a loud scandal associated with Russia's refusal to take part in land and sea exercises jointly with the armed forces. by the forces of India.
