Land-attack Version of BrahMos Missile successfully test-fired

Land-attack Version of BrahMos Missile successfully test-fired

Part of: GS Prelims and GS-III – Defence and Security

In news

• Recently, India has successfully test-fired a land-attack version of the BrahMos supersonic cruise missile from the Andaman and Nicobar Islands.

Key takeaways

• The range of the missile has been extended to 400 km from the original 290 km.
• Its speed has been maintained at 2.8 Mach or almost three times the speed of sound.
• The test was done in a “top-attack” configuration.
• In top attack mode, the missile is required to climb sharply after launch, travel at a certain altitude and then fall on top of the target.
• In direct attack mode, the missile travels at a lower altitude, directly striking the target.