Brahmos' trial in 2 months, says Aatre

TIMES NEWS NETWORK[ THURSDAY, DECEMBER 12, 2002 10:50:53 PM ]
BANGALORE:

The world’s first supersonic cruise missile ‘Brahmos’, a joint venture between India and Russia, will go in for final trials in the next two months, said Scientific Adviser to Defence Minister V K Aatre.

After a conference in Bangalore on Thursday, he said India and Russia had formed a joint venture company, based in Delhi. “We have identified two major private industries in the country and a host of small industries to manufacture components.’’ India will develop part of the avionics and delivery mechanisms, which have immense global market potential. India holds 61% stake in Brahmos, while Russia 39%.

Brahmos can be launched from a variety of platforms — air to surface, air to ship, ship to ship or from shore. It is said to have a 280-km range.

Brahmos will be on display along with the Light Combat Aircraft at Aero India 2003, the international air show at Bangalore in February.

Lakshya, the pilotless traget aircraft, has been successfully demonstrated in a “foreign country’’, which is likely to place orders for 12 of these aircraft, said Aatre, who heads the Defence Research and Development Organisation.

The Kaveri engine, being developed to power the LCA and its future variants, will shortly be sent abroad for high-altitude testing, he said.

Battlefield surveillance radars are undergoing final trials, having completed developmental trials.

The production of these radars would begin in six to eight months.