BrahMos Aerospace is augmenting its production facilities and expanding missile output in order to reduce costs and attract more export orders.
In addition, the new BrahMos-NG missile is likely to enter the autonomous flight testing phase in 2026.
These two developments are significant indicators of a shift in India’s defence posture. Rather than being purely defensive, India may now be adopting a deterrent posture.
Production Ramp Up
Based on a statement by Brahmos Aerospace Deputy CEO Chilukoti Chandrasekhar, it is possible that Russia may also acquire the missile for its own forces.
TASS quoted Chandrasekhar as saying: “The Russian side and the Indian side, both of us, are working to reduce the cost of the missiles so that more export orders can be honored at the same time. To meet the requirements for export as well as for our own armed forces, we need to augment our production facilities. We are working with our Russian partners to enhance this capability.”
The import of BrahMos missiles from India would be a pragmatic way to balance India’s trade with Russia while putting Russia’s surplus rupee holdings in India to good use.
Over the past 25 years, BrahMos Aerospace has produced more than 1,000 missiles. With a low average annual production of just 25 missiles, the cost of the missile has been exorbitant.
The missile’s success during Operation Sindoor has highlighted its lethality, and both India and Russia expect demand to surge. Indian Defence Minister Rajnath Singh has stated that at least 14 countries have expressed interest in purchasing the missile.
Brahmos-NG
BrahMos Aerospace plans to begin autonomous testing of the upgraded, lightweight BrahMos-NG supersonic cruise missile next year, Alexander Maksichev, the Russian managing director of the joint venture, told TASS.
“We are currently at the working design stage, which we will complete next year, and then we will move on to autonomous tests,” he said, adding that it is too early to discuss the timing of flight tests.
BrahMos Aerospace is developing the BrahMos-NG variant to enable lighter IAF fighter aircraft, such as the MiG-29 and LCA Mk-1A, to carry the high-supersonic-speed missile.
In March 2019, BrahMos CEO Sudhir Misra stated that the Tejas underwing hardpoint can support a maximum load of 1,250 kg, including the launcher. This implies that the NG would weigh less than 1,250 kg.
By comparison, the standard BrahMos weighs 3,000 kg, while the BrahMos-A weighs 2,500 kg.
The LCA Mk-1A, equipped with an AESA radar, will be able to locate and engage targets with precision near the maximum range (300 km) of the BrahMos-NG while flying at medium altitudes.
This will eliminate the long delays typically associated with target detection and engagement using optical or radar-imaging missiles.
Weapon-systems management software of other IAF fighters with similar radars could also be upgraded to support the BrahMos-NG.
Like the BrahMos, the BrahMos-NG will have multiple variants capable of being launched from land, air, and sea. Unlike its predecessor, a torpedo-launched version is also being considered. The missile would be capable of launching from a standard-sized submarine torpedo tube.
It is highly likely that the dimensions of the missile will be dictated by the size of the internal weapons bay of the AMCA.
New Ramjet Engine
As stated earlier, the BrahMos-M will be an entirely new missile that incorporates technologies developed for the BrahMos.
Since the BrahMos-M needs to be considerably smaller, it will require a completely new, downsized ramjet engine.
During Aero India 2019, a BrahMos official stated that the ramjet engine for the missile is being developed by Russia’s NPO Mashinostroeyenia.
NPO Mashinostroeyenia has already initiated work on the new engine, which will be developed in Russia. (BrahMos engines are still manufactured in Russia, although production is eventually expected to shift to India.)
In 2020, it was reported that the feasibility studies and engineering analysis for the engine had been completed.
Brahmos Outstanding Features
Despite being a smaller and lighter missile, the Brahmos-NG will have the same outstanding features as the Brahmos missile, which include:
1. High supersonic speed cruise and manoeuvring, which makes interception very challenging
2. Outstanding accuracy
3. Great destructive power because of high momentum
BrahMos Aerospace’s Earlier Overoptimistic Projection
In February 2024, Export Director of the Brahmos Aerospace Pravin Pathak had projected that flight tests of the Brahmos NG would start before the end of 2025.
Speaking on the sidelines of the World Defense Show, Pathak said, “In parallel with the construction of the plant, which is planned to be operational in late 2025 – early 2026, the first flight samples of the new BrahMos-NG rocket will be assembled for flight testing. They are planned to be assembled, and flight testing begins before the end of 2025.”
Conclusion
BrahMos Aerospace first announced plans to develop the BrahMos-NG (initially called BrahMos-M, with “M” standing for “Mini”) in 2011, accompanied by an overly optimistic timeline projection. It appears that serious development work began only in 2017.
A senior defense official reportedly told Times Now in November 2017 that the air-launched BrahMos-NG was “currently in the design stage, although initial consultations have been held,” adding that the missile would be ready by 2019.
The project now appears to be firmly on track.
However, it is important to note that “autonomous” flight testing was expected to begin in 2020. In this context, “autonomous” likely refers to ground-based testing.
Actual flight testing could take another year or two, as a test platform—such as an IAF MiG-29—would need to be prepared, involving both hardware and mission computer software upgrades.
- Vijainder K Thakur is a retired IAF Jaguar pilot, author, software architect, entrepreneur, and military analyst.
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