India testfires supersonic cruise missile
From Meerza Iqbal Baig

NEW DELHI—India testfired on Wednesday a supersonic cruise missile Brahmos from the Integrated Test Range (ITR) at Chandipur, about 15 km from Balasore (Orissa). The test firing of the missile with striking range of 290 kilometre took place at 11.02 Indian Standard Time. “The flight trial has met all the mission objectives”, said a news report quoting defence sources as saying. The missile has a striking range of 290 km and weighs about three tonnes. It is about eight metre long and can carry a conventional warhead weighing 200 to 300 kg, added the report. A two-stage vehicle, its propulsion comprises of a solid propellant booster and a liquid propellant ramjet system. Brahmos can travel at mach 2.8 to 3 and has been configured for launch from ground, ship, submarine and aircraft, the report maintained. The ground range instrumentation from ITR and the radar located near the impact point tracked the missile trajectory and monitored all the parameters from launch, the report said adding, the missile has been developed under a joint venture programme between India and Russia.