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Rediff.com  » News » Surface-to-surface BrahMos missile operational: Pranab

Surface-to-surface BrahMos missile operational: Pranab

Source: PTI
March 10, 2006 00:22 IST
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India has made operational surface-to-surface version of the supersonic BrahMos cruise missile, Defence Minister Pranab Mukherjee told Rajya Sabha Thursday.

He said it would be operated through a mobile launcher specially developed for the purpose indigenously.

In a written reply, the minister said the air-to-ground version of the missile was at present in the development stage.

According to defence sources, Indian and Russian defence experts are working on a miniature version of the missile to make it capable of being launched from Sukhoi-30MKI multi-role fighters.

The naval version of the missile with a deadly capability of hitting targets at a range of nearly 300 km has already been  mounted in a number of new warships acquired from Russia.

In reply to another question, the minister said that missiles being developed by the Department of Defence Research and Development had export potential.

Without naming the missiles, which could be put on market, Mukherjee said, "The government will take an appropriate decision at a suitable time for export of missiles to friendly countries."

He, however made it clear that DRDO had so far not been contacted by any country for the purchase of the missile.

Rama Muni Reddy of Telugu Desam Party had asked whether with government approval DRDO had decided to put in the market missiles like surface-to-air Akash and Trishul and anti-tank Nag and BrahMos missiles.

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