Brahmos Supersonic Cruise Missile : News, Updates and Discussions

DRDO readies for another missile test, this time it’s subsonic ‘Nirbhay’

In the last month, DRDO has carried out several tests of missiles and related technology, amid the Covid-19 pandemic and tensions with China.

By SNEHESH ALEX PHILIP
6 October, 2020 6:20 pm IST
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DRDO's Nirbhay missile at the Republic Day parade | Photo: PIB via Wikipedia

New Delhi:
Amid the ongoing India-China stand-off in Ladakh, the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) is preparing for yet another missile test — an 800 km-range subsonic ‘Nirbhay’ cruise missile — which is likely to take place by the end of October or in early November.

This test is likely to be the last trial before the ‘Nirbhay’ missile is inducted formally into the armed forces.

Since September, the DRDO has carried out multiple missile tests. The first test was that of the Hypersonic Technology Demonstrator Vehicle (HSTDV) on 7 September, and its success paves the way for missiles that can travel at six times the speed of sound, making India the fourth country in the world after the US, China and Russia to develop such technology.

This was followed by a test of the nuclear-capable ‘Shaurya’ missile on 3 October, and the supersonic missile-assisted release of a torpedo on 5 October. The ‘Shaurya’ missile is now ready for induction into the Strategic Forces Command (SFC), which handles India’s nuclear arsenal.

In the interim, a different version of the in-service surface-to-surface supersonic cruise missile Brahmos was also tested on 30 September. The DRDO has also carried out other tests, including one for the indigenous Anti-Tank Guided Missile (ATGM), besides a host of others.

Message to China ?

Asked whether the back-to-back tests were part of the messaging towards China, sources explained that some of the tests were planned for earlier but got delayed due to the Covid pandemic, while in some cases the tests were scheduled for now.

“The missile tests were held up due to the Covid pandemic, even though the labs were working round the clock. These tests show that the DRDO is back to business as usual,” a DRDO source said.


Nirbhay test is in the end of October or early November ? So this is not for Nirbhay ?


But the NOTAM area matches previous Nirbhay test.
 
Designing and developing a new missile for such a limited number of targets − however important these may be − with the associated cost might be a less attractive option than first trying to adapt, or at least use elements of, an already in-service system. The Brahmos airframe is less than ideal, with an annular intake placing greater limitations on the seeker size than a conventionally designed AAM. It does, however, use a ramjet sustainer motor, which provides the missile with a comparatively high cruise speed. Furthermore, the missile would remain powered for far longer than if it used a simple solid-rocket motor. And, of course, it is already in production.

 
The only issue I feel is the testing pattern which they conduct yearly once. If we have fixed the issue why not test immediately why we have to wait for a year ... Maybe we are not in urgent or we don't have the fund
 

My bad then. I thought a GNC failure because that has happened before. Appalling standards of safety procedures. Its a new engine, never flown before. Why would you send out an untested engine ?

The only issue I feel is the testing pattern which they conduct yearly once. If we have fixed the issue why not test immediately why we have to wait for a year ... Maybe we are not in urgent or we don't have the fund

Exactly. There were back to back testing of the Astra missile when it failed. Where is that urgency here ? They seem to be taking a year to fix a problem and then testing it only to find some new problem coming up.
 
The only issue I feel is the testing pattern which they conduct yearly once. If we have fixed the issue why not test immediately why we have to wait for a year ... Maybe we are not in urgent or we don't have the fund
I think we yet to perfect a subsonic cruise missile Navigation techniques, some time back I have asked about whether Nirbhay is having contour mapping technology or not, no concrete confirmation I received on it. I think the navigation of a cruise missile is a tough job for DRDO.
 
This particular journalist writes anything in the name of sources.

With bureaucracy there's a bane , nothing goes to next stage untill it's checked and checked a little bit too much.

There can be any number of reasons for the snags. But not jumping of development steps, especially in India.

I would rather believe in what that baba ji account peddles instead of this one guy.
 
The only issue I feel is the testing pattern which they conduct yearly once. If we have fixed the issue why not test immediately why we have to wait for a year ... Maybe we are not in urgent or we don't have the fund
The funding and resources are rather limited and DRDO still wastes those small resources on project's not asked by forces.

PS: When I say finding is small , I mean for the first cycle of R&D for Nirbhay which ended sometime back, the funding was dwarfed by funds to buy just 12 Harpoons.