India successfully test-fires surface-to-surface BrahMos cruise missile

WAR.WIRE

India successfully test-fires surface-to-surface BrahMos cruise missile
NEW DELHI (AFP) Dec 21, 2004
India on Tuesday successfully test-fired for the first time a surface-to-surface version of the supersonic missile BrahMos it has jointly developed with Russia, the Press Trust of India reported.

The flight test was conducted at 1230 a.m (0700 GMT).

Top army brass were present to witness the event including Lieutenant General J.J. Singh, who is shortly due to take over as the chief of the Indian army.

India has so far only test-fired BrahMos, which has a range of 280 kilometres (175 miles), from aboard warships since its development by Indian and Russian experts in 2001.

BrahMos was on display at the January 26 Republic Day military parade, and an unspecified number of countries are said to be interested in buying the cruise missile, which carries a conventional warhead.

India has developed an array of ballistic missiles in its goal to achieve military self-reliance and eventually become a major player in the global arms industry.