Indian subs to have BrahMos missiles

Indian Navy will induct submarine-launched BrahMos cruise missiles and preparations are underway for their trial, an official said here.

Spokesman of the Indo-Russian joint venture Brahmos Aerospace, Alexander Maksichev said that it was not yet decided which of the Indian naval submarines will be armed with the deadly cruise missiles.

"India is mostly building French Scorpene class submarines. But soon the Indian Navy will have to decide about additional submarines.

"It is not known yet which submarines, but what is certain is that they will be fitted with BrahMos missiles," Maksichev said speaking on the sidelines of ongoing international aerospace show MAKS-2007 here.

Preparations are underway for their trial, the official said.

BrahMos Aerospace has its own stall at the aerospace show and is displaying models of ship, land, air versions of the cruise missile with the speed twice that of sound, amid growing interest among potential buyers.

Under the JV deal, India and Russia have agreed to jointly develop, produce and internationally market the BrahMos cruise missiles to "mutually identified friendly nations".

According to experts BrahMos with a range of 200 km, developed on the basis of Russian NPOMash's 'Yakhont' cruise missile will remain a unique missile for more than a decade and has a huge market.

However, some of the countries initially identified as 'friendly' could undergo review by the Russian General Staff, according to the local defence ministry sources.