While you were playing Harpoon....

While we seem to have forgotten ASUW - the rest of the world gets a vote. Other navies want to kill you.

Back in November 2005, The Hindu newspaper reported that India's government has given the go-ahead for exporting missiles, and that India's Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) is looking to market several of its products internationally. The DRDO will participate in international expos as part of its marketing strategy, and government officials have claimed interest from African, Gulf and South-East Asian countries. They have also noted, however, that India's government would be required to approve any foreign sales to specific countries.

The missile systems in question include:

* Trishul ("trident") short-range surface-air missile (SAM)
* Akash ("sky") medium-range SAM
* Nag ("cobra") anti-armor missile; and the
* Indo-Russian BrahMos medium-range supersonic cruise missile, which is primarily designed as an anti-ship weapon but could be modified for land attack.

What is BrahMos you say? Ready for this Skipper?

The supersonic missile - which derives its name from the Brahmaputra rivers in both countries - has a range of almost 300 km and is designed for use with land and sea platforms, the source said. According to sources of the Russian collaborating company, Mashinostroyenie,

“The BrahMos missile has successfully completed its test, and the first customer is the Indian navy. Serial manufacture has begun in both Russia and India. The initial batch of BrahMos missiles will number approximately 70.” The BrahMos basic model is anti-ship but it could also be adapted for use against land targets. It could also be adapted for airborne platforms, the sources said.

Mashinostroyenie designed the missile and its propulsion system, all-important software and the guidance system is designed by Indian counterpart - DRDO.

The missile is a two-stage vehicle that has a solid propellant booster and a liquid (propellant) ram jet system.

This technological achievement places India among a small group of countries to acquire the capacity of producing cruise missiles.

“The jointly produced cruise missile is distinguishable from others in that it travels at a supersonic speed which is more than twice the speed of sound. Almost all other contemporary anti-ship missiles fly at subsonic speed,” the DRDO sources added. The supersonic speed imparts it a greater strike-power as well.

Possessing stealth characteristics, the 6.9-meter cruise missile weighing three tonnes has a range of 280 km.

They plan on building over 1,000 and will sell them.




I don't like the liquid fuel, but what a weapon. Get out your circular slide-rule and do the math. Ready to counter 1, 2, 5, 15? How much warning do you need? How much do you think you will have?