In July this year, India test fired supersonic BrahMos missile from the Interim Test Range at Chandipur in Odisha’s Balasore district. Jointly developed by India and Russia, the cruise missile has already been inducted into the Indian Armed Forces and was test fired from a mobile launcher as a part of user trials. The 8.4-metre long missile weighing about three tonnes is considered to be one of the fastest cruise missiles in the world. It has the capability to strike targets at a distance of 290 to 300km carrying conventional warheads up to 300kg. While the weapons system was inducted into the Army and Navy in 2004 and 2006 respectively, it is yet to be inducted into the Indian Air Force. The Air Force version of the missile is in the advanced stages of development and would be ready for induction after a successful trial in the near future.
