Godrej Aerospace, a unit of Godrej & Boyce Mfg. Co. Ltd., handed over the first airframe assembly of BrahMos-A, the air-launched version of the Indo-Russian BrahMos supersonic cruise missile, to India’s Defense Research Development Laboratory (DRDL) for qualification of the indigenously manufactured assembly, on Aug. 31, 2018.

In a ceremony marking the occasion, the completion documents were handed over to Dr. Dasharath Ram Yadav, Distinguished Scientist & Program Director (BrahMos), DRDL by Jamshyd Godrej, Chairman and Managing Director, Godrej & Boyce.

The missile section manufactured by Godrej Aerospace will undergo stringent testing processes set by DRDL. Godrej is poised to deliver the next set of these airframe assemblies by December 2018. They also aim to produce the first indigenous missile booster which up till now was imported. In December 2017, Godrej Aerospace had won an order for 100 sets of airframe assemblies for BrahMos-A, the air-launched version of BrahMos, production for which started soon after.

Till date they have also supplied over 100 sets of the land version of the missile to BrahMos Aerospace Pvt. Ltd, a joint venture between Russia’s NPO Mashinostroyeniya and India’s Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), which assembles the missiles in India.

BrahMos, the world’s fastest anti-ship cruise missile in operation, is a medium-range ramjet supersonic cruise missile developed jointly by India and Russia, and is based on Russian P-800 Oniks missile. The land-launched and ship-launched versions of the missile are already in service, with the air and submarine-launched versions currently in the testing phase.

The missile created history on 22nd Nov 2017 after it was successfully flight-tested first time from the Indian Air Force’s (IAF) frontline fighter aircraft, Sukhoi Su-30MKI, against a sea based target in the Bay of Bengal. The missile was gravity dropped from the Su-30 from fuselage, and the two stage missile’s engine fired up and straightway propelled towards the intended target at the sea in Bay of Bengal.

According to BrahMos Aerospace, the development work related to the air-launch version of the missile is complete. Work has also been successfully completed with Russia’s Sukhoi design bureau – the developer of Su-30MKI, Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) – the manufacturer of Su-30MKI in India, and the IAF for interface requirements and installation of BrahMos on Su-30MKI.

Two Su-30MKI aircraft was earmarked by the IAF for the initial launch trials. The first Su-30MKI fighter aircraft

modified for BRAHMOS supersonic cruise missile was handed over by HAL to the CEO & MD of BrahMos Aerospace on 19 February 2015 during Aero India at Yelahanka, Bengaluru. The Su-30MKI has a maximum speed of 2 Mach with a single in-flight range of 3,000 km. A total of 8,000 kg payload can be carried by it at a maximum altitude of 17 km.

DRDL is a missile system laboratory under the Indian Ministry of Defence’s Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) which specializes in the design, development and flight evaluation of various types of missile systems for the Indian Armed Forces.

Quotes

Dr. Dasharath Ram, Distinguished Scientist & Program Director (BrahMos), DRDL congratulated Godrej Aerospace for manufacturing the 1st airframe and said “The delivery of the first air frame assembly for Air Launched version of the Brahmos missile in such a short time frame goes a long way in showcasing Godrej’s commitment towards the project. As one of India’s premier defense research organizations, we are extremely happy with the delivery of the first airframe in such a short span of eight months.”

Dr. Sudhir Mishra, DS, Director General, CEO & MD, BrahMos Aerospace while acknowledging and appreciating the contribution said, “We have always believed that India should become self-sufficient in its defence capabilities and the Make in India platform provides the much-needed boost. Indigenous manufacturing of defence equipment brings down costs and enhances the know-how about critical technologies while ensuring reliability of spare parts. I am confident that our partnership will continue to set new benchmarks for the indigenous development and production of sophisticated weapon systems.”

Mr. Jamshyd Godrej, Chairman and Managing Director, Godrej & Boyce said, “Godrej takes great pride in contributing towards building India’s defense capabilities. It is a matter of immense pride that today we have handed over the first airframe assembly of the prestigious Air Launched version of the BrahMos missile. The partnership between BrahMos, DRDL and Godrej Aerospace is unique and unmatched since it brings together the planning of defence PSUs and the innovation of private enterprise to robustly achieve one strategic goal of securing the nation.”

Godrej Aerospace -BrahMos

Godrej Aerospace has been associated with the BrahMos programme since its inception in 2001. Godrej is a dominant contributor manufacturing most of the metallic sub systems in the BrahMos missile. Besides the main airframe, Godrej supplies control surfaces and nose cap. Godrej also supplies the Mobile Autonomous Launchers, Missile Replenishing Vehicles for the land launched versions of the missile.





