'Adopt BrahMos model for world-class products'
Friday, December 29, 2006 12:01 [IST]
New Delhi:
Defence Minister A.K. Antony yesterday (Dec 28, 2006) favoured more interfaces
of the type between an Indian-Russian joint venture and industry for building a
cruise missile if the country was to develop world-class defence products.
Speaking to scientists, industrialists and service personnel
from Russia and India after his maiden visit to a facility here
where the BrahMos missile is being developed, Antony said the weapon had boosted the
country's defence preparedness with its speed, precision and power.
He urged the quick development of the air version of the
missile for its early induction into the Indian Air Force. The Indian Army and
the Indian Navy have already accepted the missile for induction and placed
production orders. Serial production of the missile has already begun. The defence minister spent over two hours at the BrahMos
Aerospace Complex and was briefed by its chief A. Shivathanu Pillai, joint
managing director Alexander Maksichev and other top scientists.
A large number of
senior officials and technologists, including IAF vice chief Air Marshal B.N.
Gokhale, director general (Artillery) Lt. Gen. A.S. Bajwa, representatives from
the Russian embassy, senior officers of the three services and captains of
various public and private industries involved in the project were present on
the occasion.
Antony
also visited the BrahMos exposition, where he was shown and briefed about the
technological complexity and the superiority of the supersonic cruise missile.
The minister was particularly impressed with the capabilities of the missile to
be launched from land, sea, sub-sea and air platform.
He also viewed a video demonstration of all the past missile
firings.
The minister also visited the BrahMos technology exhibition
to witness the full-scale missile hardware and acquainted himself with the
process of missile integration, for which elaborate facilities have been
established at Hyderabad.
BrahMos has evolved out of the joint efforts of Indian and
Russian scientists under the joint venture company BrahMos
Aerospace, India's
DRDO and Russia's
NPO Mashinostroyenia, along with a consortium of Indian and Russian industries.
The missile can fly at 2.8 times the speed of sound, can
carry warheads of up to 200 kg, and has a maximum range of 290 km. |
