In 5-6 Years, India Will Have Its First Hypersonic Missile: Brahmos Aerospace CEO

BrahMos Aerospace, an India-Russia defence joint venture, is capable of producing hypersonic missiles and expects to have its first one in five to six years, according to BrahMos Aerospace.

“BrahMos Aerospace is a hypersonic missile manufacturer. BrahMos will be able to produce our first hypersonic missile in five to six years “Atul Rane, CEO and MD of BrahMos Aerospace, spoke at an event marking the start of the ‘Silver Jubilee Year’ celebration (1998-2023) to commemorate one of India’s most successful, cutting-edge military partnership programmes, which has produced the world’s best, fastest, and most powerful modern precision strike weapon, the BrahMos.

BrahMos Aerospace began the ‘Silver Jubilee Year’ celebrations (2022-2023) on Monday, coinciding with India’s 75th anniversary of independence, to commemorate the incredible journey of one of India’s most successful, cutting-edge military partnership programmes, which has produced the world’s best, fastest, and most powerful modern precision strike weapon, the BrahMos.

The ‘Silver Jubilee Year’ celebrations would begin on June 12 to commemorate 21 golden years since the invincible BrahMos’ first supersonic launch, and would end on February 12, 2023, on ‘BrahMos Raising Day.’

Several key events, meets, and national-level competitions are planned as part of the ‘Silver Jubilee Year’ celebrations, including an industry partners’ meet to recognise and highlight the invaluable contributions made by the JV’s key industry partners as part of the missile manufacturing industry ecosystem within the country.

There will also be a user engagement meeting to recognise the Indian Armed Forces’ contribution and professionalism in operating the world’s best supersonic cruise missile system.

With the goal of orienting and nurturing new talent in the field of missile technology, a national-level competition on cutting-edge technology and its application in the missiles and aerospace fields will be organised.

The spectacular celebrations will conclude on February 12, 2023 (BrahMos Raising Day), when major activities will be held.

To begin, the firm has declared that as part of its Silver Jubilee Year festivities, it will dedicate a portion of its Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) funding to women empowerment-related programmes and initiatives across India.

BrahMos Aerospace has achieved multiple historic milestones and many “firsts” in the country throughout the course of its illustrious two-decade journey. The JV has begun work on its new, state-of-the-art BRAHMOS manufacturing centre, which will be built in Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh as part of the UP Defence Industrial Corridor (UPDIC) Project, to chart the route for the next chapter of this ambitious adventure.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi held a ground-breaking ceremony on June 3 to commemorate the start of all major industrial projects under the UPDIC, including the establishment of a dedicated BrahMos facility to design, develop, and manufacture the highly advanced BRAHMOS Next-Generation (NG) weapon system.

With an initial investment of Rs 300 crore, BrahMos Aerospace has obtained roughly 80 hectares of land in Uttar Pradesh for the creation of the new manufacturing centre. By the middle of 2024, the company expects to have completed all manufacturing-related work at the new plant. This dedicated facility will be able to build 80-100 BrahMos systems per year once it is fully operational.

The BRAHMOS-NG missile is also progressing, with serial production expected in the next three to five years. The BRAHMOS-NG manufacturing centre would strengthen India’s Missile Industry Consortium and aid to galvanise the defence ecosystem for advanced missile technology. It would also establish India as one of the world’s top defence technology centres.

The Indian Armed Forces’ supersonic cruise missile has been successfully operationalized in all three services (in the Indian Navy in 2005; in the Indian Army in 2007; in Indian Air Force in 2020).

The world-class BrahMos made the first and foremost major breakthrough in India’s military exports front by becoming the first full-scale weapon to be exported to a responsible, friendly nation after charting one after another remarkable milestones and stunning accomplishments.

The Republic of the Philippines and BrahMos Aerospace inked a historic contract on January 28 to provide a shore-based anti-ship BRAHMOS system to the Philippine Navy. BrahMos Aerospace, a strong supporter of ‘Make-in-India’ and ‘Design-in-India,’ is now pursuing ‘Make-for-the-World,’ a first for the JV entity and a proud first for India.

The multibillion-dollar BrahMos export agreement has prepared the way for India’s ambition to become a world-class military maker and exporter in the coming years.