BrahMos fails to meet parameters

Supersonic cruise missile BrahMos on Sunday reportedly failed to provide the desired results during an experimental launch from a defence base off the Odisha coast. This was 32nd trial of the missile which has already been inducted into the Army and the Navy.

The missile was test-fired by scientists of DRDO and BrahMos Aerospace Private Limited (BAPL) from the launching complex-III of the Integrated Test Range (ITR) at Chandipur-on-sea in Balasore district at about 10.35 a.m. Sources said the missile deviated from the its trajectory and plunged into the Bay of Bengal.

“The missile which went off vertically could not follow the trajectory and plunged into the sea after travelling nearly 23 km. The steep dive was not perfect as coordinated and the mission failed to meet all parameters. It was not a copy book success,” the source said.

The defence authorities however claimed that the mission was successful. ITR director MVKV Prasad said it was an experimental trial of the BrahMos land version and the test was perfect. “The test was carried in steep dive mode and it met all mission objectives,” he said and refused to divulge the details.

Sources said the objective of the mission was to evaluate newer subsystems which have been manufactured by Indian industries as part of production stabilisation.