Admiral Sunil Lanba (r)
Anti-ship missiles are guided missiles that are designed for use against ships. The majority of anti-ship missiles are now sea skimming and use a combination of inertial navigation and radar homing. The first anti-ship missile was developed by Nazi Germany in 1943. It was an air-launched radio-guided bomb used successfully in the Mediterranean Theater. The first ship to be sunk by a ship-launched missile was the Israeli destroyer Eilat in 1967.
The Indian Navy inducted SSM in 1971 with the Osa-1 class Missile Boats fitted with Styx (P-15) missile. The missile boats were used with great success in the Indo-Pak War of 1971. The attack by them on Karachi resulted in the sinking of a number of Pakistani Naval units, merchant ships and damaged to shore infrastructure. The P series of Russian SSM were the Navy’s mainstay until the Klub missile (KH 35) induction onboard the Talwar class missile frigate and Kilo-class submarines.
BrahMos missile was born in February 1998 as a joint venture between the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) of India and ‘Military Industrial Consortium’ NPO Mashinostroyenia (NPOM) of Russia. The name BrahMos represents the fury of Brahmaputra and the grace of Moskva Rivers. The collaboration was made possible by sharing the technological strength of both partners – DRDO and NPOM. The combination of the capabilities and competencies of both institutions has given birth to a world-class product, the BrahMos missile.
The first successful BrahMos missile launch occurred on 12 June 2001 from Interim Test Range at Chandipur. The Indian Navy was the first service to induct the supersonic BrahMos missile. INS Rajput was the first ship that was installed with BrahMos missile system in the inclined launch variant in 2005. Post this firing, there have been numerous successful test firings of BrahMos from Indian Naval Ships, which have proved its supersonic speed, pin-point accuracy, lethal firepower and destructive potential of the missile. The BrahMos has now been deployed on Indian Navy’s front-line surface combat platforms, including destroyers and frigates, as the primary offensive weapon.
The missile is now a part of the arsenal of all three arms of the Indian defence services. Several versions of BrahMos exist, which can be fired from land, sea and air. The Indian Army inducted the missile in 2007. It entered service with the Indian Air Force (IAF) in 2019 after the air-launched version was proven on a Su-30MKI.
BrahMos is a two-stage missile with a solid propellant booster engine as its first stage, which brings it to supersonic speed and then gets separated. The liquid Ramjet then takes the missile to approximately 3 Mach speed in the cruise phase. Stealth technology and a guidance system with advanced embedded software provide the missile with special features. The missile has a range of over 300 km with supersonic speed throughout the flight, leading to shorter flight time, consequently ensuring quicker engagement and making interception by anti-missile systems difficult.
It operates on the ‘Fire and Forget’ principle that allows the launch platform to disengage after launch, increasing operational safety and efficiency. BrahMos missile adopts a variety of trajectories on its way to the target. The destructive power is enhanced due to high kinetic energy on impact. It has a very high cruising altitude and sea-skimming terminal altitude with a conventional warhead of 200-300 kg, causing substantial damage to the adversary. BrahMos missile utilises a mix of inertial navigation, global navigation satellite systems, and terminal guidance systems for pinpoint accuracy.
The missile has an identical configuration for land, sea, air and sub-sea platforms and uses a Transport Launch Canister (TLC) for transportation, storage and launch. The missile’s adaptability for launch from diverse platforms—ships, submarines, aircraft, and land—offers strategic flexibility and enhances its operational value. The Indian Navy uses the BrahMos Universal Vertical Launcher Module (UVLM), which is fitted onboard ships. BrahMos missile has been integrated into all Indian Navy’s frontline warships; with its advanced seeker technology and precision strike capabilities, the missile significantly bolsters the Navy’s stand-off strike proficiency.
The Next Generation Maritime Mobile Coastal Batteries (NGMMCB-Long Range) equipped with BrahMos missiles are being inducted by the Navy. The system will be used to target enemy platforms operating close to the Indian coast. This weapon system will significantly enhance the Indian Navy’s maritime strike capability. The delivery of the NGMMCBs is scheduled to commence in the near future. They will be deployed along the Indian coast and islands, and the weapon system will be integrated with the Maritime Domain Awareness (MDA) grid.
The company, since 1998, has made significant strides towards self-sustenance, with indigenous content steadily rising from an initial 20-30% to now above 50% within a short period of time and future variants progressing towards 60%. BrahMos Aerospace is pushing the envelope to further develop new capabilities in the missile. The missile booster has been indigenised. An ‘Indigenous Seeker’ has been fitted and proved in March this year, which will now be fitted in all future missiles. Mastering the seeker technology is a significant milestone and would reduce reliance on imports. The only major component left towards indigenisation is the Ramjet engine. Efforts are in progress towards indigenisation of the same.
The BrahMos missile system is evolving to meet modern warfare demands. Its potential acceptance by friendly nations has further strengthened international alliances, bolstered collective security, and underlined India’s growing self-reliance in defence technology. Further, the range of the missile is planned to be increased to ensure the engagement of the adversary from stand-off ranges. It is understood that a new version of the hypersonic BrahMos missile (speed more than 5 Mach) BrahMos-II is on the anvil, which will further boost the combat potential of the missile. In addition, a lightweight version known as ‘BrahMos New Generation (NG)’ is also being developed for launch from aircraft/smaller ships.
An export order for BrahMos has been signed with the Philippines to supply shore-based anti-ship missile systems. This is the first export order of BrahMos and is significant for India and the extended Indo-Pacific region. BrahMos is a rare example of India acquiring proven competence in co-designing and co-manufacturing a trans-border military capability and being able to export it. In addition, various countries from South East Asia and Africa have shown interest in BrahMos for induction. The potential integration of the BrahMos missile system by friendly foreign navies could amplify India’s diplomatic influence, enhance regional security, and foster a shared security architecture.
The BrahMos missile system represents India’s strategic intent, technological prowess, and commitment to national security. With a strike range now extended to 450 km from the original 290 km, BrahMos has become the prime conventional (non-nuclear) strike weapon for the Indian Armed Forces. Its role in India’s maritime strategy is expected to grow amidst a complex and volatile geopolitical environment. The formidable weapon has given the Navy an unparalleled outreach and flexibility to undertake littoral and high sea missions with agility and ease.
The BrahMos supersonic cruise missile is a key component of the Indian Navy’s maritime security infrastructure, playing a crucial role in enhancing the nation’s defence technology capabilities. BrahMos is the first supersonic cruise missile to be in service. The missile has provided credible anti-access area denial (A2/AD) capability to the Indian Navy. The BrahMos missile serves as a formidable deterrent in a geopolitical climate marked by potential maritime confrontations, reinforcing India’s commitment to regional peace and stability.
Adm. Sunil Lanba (r), is a former Indian Navy Chief
