Make In India Success: In Six Months, Indigenous Component In BrahMos Missile To Increase To 76 Per Cent

The indigenous component in BrahMos, the world's fastest supersonic cruise missile, will increase to 76 per cent from the current 65 per cent in the next six months, The Hindu has reported.

The announcement was made by BrahMos Aerospace Managing Director Sudhir Mishra following the handing over ceremony of the prototype Quad launcher manufactured by Larsen & Toubro Defence on Sunday. The launcher will keep cruise missiles in an inclined configuration on-board Indian Navy ships.

In March, the missile was successfully flight-tested for the first time with an indigenous seeker. The seeker was developed by the Defence Research and Development Organisation. Two private Indian firms had also participated in the development programme. Until now, the missile was guided by a seeker - a part which employs sensitive and closely guarded technology - supplied by Russia.

High Energy Materials Research Laboratory of the DRDO is developing a special solid propellant to be used as fuel by BrahMos. Work on the program was started in view of Russia’s reluctant to share the technology for solid propellants with India.

According to Livefist, work on indigenisation of the missile began in 2009 despite stiff resistance from Russia. Since its entry into the Missile Technology Control Regime, India has also managed to increase the range of the missile to 450 km and is currently known to be working on a plan is to increase it to 800km.