India has successfully test-fired the 290km-range BrahMos supersonic anti-ship cruise missile from the country’s yet-to-be commissioned, indigenous stealth destroyer, INS Kolkata, off the west coast near the Karwar military base in Karnataka.
The missile has been developed by the Indo-Russian joint venture BrahMos Aerospace, and met all required parameters during the trial.
An undisclosed senior naval official was quoted by IANS as saying that BrahMos representatives successfully conducted the installation test-firing from the launcher, in coordination with the Mumbai-based Mazagon Dockyard, which built the warship.
"It is a standard procedure to test-fire any weapon onboard the warship to assess its capabilities and operational parameters during trials," the official said.
Being developed in both aerial and land versions for deployment by the Indian Air Force and Indian Army, the new BrahMos missile is also expected to be integrated in all future destroyers and frigates, with another version being built for submarines.
The Indian Armed Forces have been receiving BrahMos missiles since 2005. They have been inducted into the army and the airforce, while they are also being prepared for tests aboard Su-30MKI fighter bombers.
"The cruise missile has been deployed in many of our warships, including frigates and Russian-made Talwar-class vessels," the official added.
Built by the Mazagon Dockyards under the project 15-Alpha series, INS Kolkata is the first of its class and is going through extensive trials prior to its planned commissioning into service next month.
Upon being commissioned, the new stealth destroyer will be able to launch 16 BrahMos missiles at once.
