Why in news?
BrahMos missile was recently flight-tested successfully for the first time with an indigenous seeker.
What is the BrahMos missile?
- BrahMos is a supersonic cruise missile.
- It is a joint collaboration between India and Russia.
- The missile is capable of being launched from land, sea, sub-sea and air against surface and sea-based targets.
- Its range was initially capped at 290 km as per obligations of the Missile Technology Control Regime (MTCR).
- But since India’s entry into the club, the range has been extended to 450 km, and the plan is to increase it to 600km.
- The Army and Navy have already inducted the missile.
- The air-launched version was test-fired for the first time last year from a modified Su-30MKI aircraft.
- The submarine-launch variants are still in their testing phase.
- BrahMos was flight tested with an Indian-made seeker for the first time, at Pokhran test range, Rajasthan.
What is the seeker technology?
- The seeker technology is a critical technology that determines the accuracy of a missile.
- So far, the seeker technology had come from Russia.
- The technology is a closely guarded secret.
- Mastering it is a significant milestone in missile technology and would reduce import dependence.
- The seeker was developed by Research Centre Imarat (RCI), Hyderabad, in collaboration with other DRDO labs.
What is the significance?
- The missile demonstrated its supreme operational capability with the new indigenous seeker.
- The development would be a further boost to the country’s security.
- Indigenous - It was developed jointly by BrahMos Aerospace and DRDO; both companies have teamed up with the private sector.
- This is particularly with an aim to bolster in-house manufacturing capability of the missile and to propel indigenisation.
- Export - The test is a significant step in bolstering the export potential of the missile.
- With the successful test, several South-East Asian countries have evinced interest in purchasing the missile.
- Geo-political - Exports are significant especially since China has reportedly sold a high-tech missile tracking system to Pakistan.
- Both Pakistan and China are also developing Air Launched Cruise Missiles.
- The geopolitical situation is tense and recently peaked between Vietnam and Beijing.
- China threatened to attack Vietnamese posts in the South China Sea if its efforts to explore oil fields was not called off.
- Notably, Vietnam is one among many countries to have shown an interest in the BrahMos.
Source: The Hindu, Business Line
