Brahmos II aka Zircon Hypersonic missile test fired in Russia

Brahmos II aka Zircon Hypersonic missile test fired in Russia

   The Russians successfully carried out the first test firing of a hyper sonic version of Brahmos missile in Russia on last Thursday. Russian sources indicated that the test was successful and the missile flew at the speed of Mach 6. However, they didn't mention about the range and the mode of flight. Mostly it's believed flying in hi-lo lo mode with the range of some 300 kilometers.

The test carried out from a land-based testing range, which could be followed by multiple launches in coming days, said a Russian official to RT.com, they also dropped a bombshell that the Zircon will be used to develop the Brahmos II missile. However, some other sources mentioned that Zircon missile is the Brahmos II.

Russia planned to use the Zircon missile in its modern submarines, missile cruisers, and destroyers. the Zircon will replace the existing P 800 and Kalibr missile from the Russian naval ships. P 800 is known as the base model of Brahmos.

There is no pictures or details available from the Russian media, except the missile test announcement. It's believed the development trails will be completed by 2018. and the Russian navy will start to induct the Zircon by 2019. The first Navy who get hypersonic missile's for anti-ship missions.

There is no official press release or information available from the Indian side.

Brahmos corp involved in three bigger projects, one is the air-launched version known as Brahmos-A, 2nd is the Brahmos II hypersonic variant of Brahmos, three is the Brahmos NG who is a mini version of the Brahmos to be carried in small OPV's and fighter jets.

Both Indian and Russian counterparts work close to achieving the above-said projects, In India they working on the Brahmos-A missile whose carriage trails scheduled by coming April, and in Russia they were working on the hypersonic variant with a Ram jet engine to boost the missile speed up to Mach 7.

Brahmos corp, a joint venture company of Indian DRDO and Russian NPO, made the Brahmos missile from the base model of Russian Oniks missile. In Brahmos family, there were many variants, used for many missions, from anti-ships to steep dive mission. Indian Armed forces are the only user who uses the Brahmos variants in Army, Navy, and Airforce. while Russia yet to employ their naval ships with Brahmos missile.

Brahmos used in the Navy ships usually to conduct the anti-ship and anti-surface mission with the range of 300 kilometers, and in lo lo mode the missile can strike targets up to 120 kilometers, during the lo lo lo mode, it's impossible to intercept the supersonic missile flying at Mach 3 speed.

Indian army also uses the Brahmos in three variants block I, II, and III, those block versions are more advanced variants than its predecessors. The air force also operates a land-based launchers, air force operates one or two squadrons of Brahmos missiles.

Brahmos II Characteristics

Speed                  : Mach 7

Range                  : 290 kilometer

warhead              : 300 kg, conventional, shrapnel, or armor piercing

First flight           : 2016 unconfirmed

Induction             : 2019

Launch platform: Ship, as the first phase

China tests Hypersonic systems.! Has India found its way around ?

China tests Hypersonic systems.! Has India found its way around ?

China tests the Hypersonic Wu-14, what implications can this project have on the world? From India’s point of view !!!

    The Chinese Defense and Science research center has claimed it has successfully carried out a test of the Wu 14 hypersonic missile on June 7th. The first reports of Chinese carrying out the test emerged in the Washington based Journal Free beacon, Chinese officials have also confirmed the test by releasing the pictures captured during this classified test. 

   The Wu 14 has been tested for a fourth time and the missile will have to go a long way to before the project can be absorbed into the forces.  The missile’s track record it’s own stories to say the missile was first launched in last where the missile had successfully completed all initial mission parameters but the missile had failed miserably during the second launch. The third and the fourth launch have been successful.

    The Wu 14 is a hypersonic nuclear payload delivery system which can bypass some of the most advanced anti ballistic missile defense system. The MRV’s developed by various nations where designed to descend through the atmosphere and could have been intercepted by the advanced interceptor missile system. But the hypersonic vehicles were designed to enter the atmosphere and to glide up to their targets. While the vehicles glided the detection of these vehicles would be extremely hard and could greatly compromise the response time. The gliding vehicles are extremely maneuverable and can also extend the range substantially. 

     Pentagon in its recent release has confirmed the launch and has also reported that the Wu-14 is indeed a hypersonic vehicle which can attain extremely high speeds and can also employ measures to maneuver  the missile defense systems. The test of the Wu-14 comes at a time when the relationships between America and China have hit a new low after America reported Chinese alleged activities in the South China Sea. America has been very vocal about Chinese aggression in the Asia-Pacific region, America is now actively pitching for ratifying the ties within Asia-Pacific regions to counter China.  

The threat of Wu 14 on India and the world

         The Wu 14 is a major leap for the rapidly developing Chinese ballistic missile forces. The ballistic system has also received a major boost with the Wu-14 systems headed towards a successful induction process. The gliding Wu-14 vehicles can be fitted on to most of the ballistic missiles the Chinese have inducted to their armed forces. 

      

     With the vehicles gliding in the final phases the range will be increased considerably.  The vehicle will glide in extremely low altitudes and will level out unlike the conventional warheads. The Wu 14 can be a very efficient nuclear delivery system for the Chinese, the Wu 14 fitted on board the advanced ballistic systems can also be targeted at Aircraft carrier’s. With its hypersonic speed it is extremely hard for the carrier’s warning systems to track in the incoming threat and even if detected at the final phases the missile is extremely hard to be intercepted. 

       If China does master the technology it threatens to set-off a arms race in the already troubled Asia-Pacific region. India and US would be the first to respond and to develop such technologies to counterbalance the arsenal. With US deploying such missiles Russia may also follow the suit thus by involving the global powers to acquire such systems.

     USA and India has recently signed agreements to jointly develop a ballistic missile interceptor system that can intercept most of the ballistic missiles. It is no wonder if USA and India agree upon to terms to co-develop a delivery system and more advanced interceptor system. India has also recently agreed to sign the MTCR which will allow India acquire the most advanced system and also helps India to export its missiles.

     India has deployed the world’s fastest cruise missile, the BrahMos which was mastered with Russia’s help. India and Russia are believed to be the fore-runners in the scramjet engine technologies which are crucial in these projects to help attain the missiles the desired velocity. India already has started working on developing a hypersonic missile system under the ‘Shaurya’ project.

     The missile developed under the program will be a canister based missile system which will be a hypersonic surface to surface tactical missile. The missile is speculated to be the land based version of the even more secret K-15 Sagarika missiles program. The missile is rumoured to have a range of around 1900 km and can also carry either conventional or nuclear warheads weighing up to one tonne

    . The exact progress of the program is shrouded in secrecy but is believed to have been tested several times. The missile is believed to have been cleared for serial production and is slated to be inducted into the navy already. The ambitious BrahMos-II project is also slated to provide the armed forces with a hypersonic version of the lethal BrahMos.

Editor Karthik Kakoor