November 25, 2008:
Earlier this year,
India ordered 800 more of the new PJ-10 BrahMos missiles. Attempts to find
export customers, however, have not succeeded. India believes this is because
they have not previously been a major arms exporter, and have not developed the
skills and techniques to sell high-tech weapons. Another reason, which the
Indian arms salesmen don't like to dwell on, is that BrahMos was originally
designed to go after heavily defended American aircraft carriers. Few countries
see attacking the U.S. Navy as a
promising military strategy. That, and the high price of the BrahMos probably accounts
for most of the sales resistance.
The 3.2 ton BrahMos has a range of 300 kilometers and a 660 pound
warhead. Perhaps the most striking characteristic is its high speed, literally
faster (at up to 3,000 feet per second) than a rifle bullet. Guidance is GPS or
inertial to reach the general area of the target (usually a ship or other small
target), then radar that will identify the specific target and hit it. The
warhead weighs 660 pounds, and the high speed at impact causes additional
damage (because of the weight of the entire missile.) India and Russia
developed the weapon together, and the high price of each missile, about $2.3
million, reflects the expense of building a very fast, and accurate, weapon. It
also restricts the number of countries that can afford it.
The weapon entered service with the
Indian navy in 2005. Different versions of the PJ-10 can be fired from
aircraft, ships, ground launchers or submarines. The maximum speed of 3,000
kilometers an hour makes it harder to intercept, and means it takes five
minutes or less to reach its target. The air launched version weighs 2.5 tons,
the others, three tons or more.
The 29 foot long, 670mm diameter
missile is an upgraded version of the Russian SS-NX-26 (Yakhont) missile, which
was in development when the Cold War ended in 1991. Lacking money to finish
development and begin production, the Russian manufacturer made a deal with
India to finish the job. India put up most of the $240 million needed to
finally complete two decades of development. The PJ-10 is also being built in
Russia. There were initial hopes that Russia and India could export up to
2,000. China and Iran have expressed interest in the weapon, but only Malaysia,
Chile, South Africa, Kuwait and the UAE (United Arab Emirates) have been
approached with a sales pitch. No one has placed an order. Nevertheless, Russia and India are investing
in BrahMos 2, which will use a scramjet, instead of a ramjet, in the second
stage. This would double speed, and make the missile much more difficult to
defend against.
The large order from India indicates it
plans to make the missile a major weapon system. The BrahMos can carry a
nuclear warhead, but is designed mainly to go after high value targets that
require a large warhead and great accuracy. The BrahMos could take out enemy
headquarters, or key weapons systems (especially those employing electronic or
nuclear weapons.)