The Army on Monday successfully test-fired an advanced version of the 290-km range BrahMos supersonic cruise missile which penetrated and destroyed a “hardened target” in the Pokhran firing range in Rajasthan.

“The Block III variant of BrahMos with deep penetration capability is fitted with a new guidance system and the launch by the Army has successfully validated the deep penetration capability of the supersonic cruise missile system against hardened targets,” BrahMos officials said in New Delhi.

“The missile system was successfully test fired by the Indian Army at the Pokhran test range in Rajasthan at 1055 hours,” they said.

The missile after launch “followed the predetermined trajectory and successfully pierced the designated concrete structure at bull’s eye owing to sheer velocity of the missile.”

The test-firing was witnessed by local Corps Commander Lt Gen Amit Sharma, who along with other senior officers congratulated the operational Army team for the successful launch.

The Block III variant of land-attack BrahMos has already showcased its supersonic steep dive with precision strike capability in mountain operations.

The Army has inducted two regiments of the missile in its arsenal, while the third regiment induction is in progress.

The 290-km BrahMos flies at a speed of 2.8 Mach and carries a conventional warhead of up to 300 kg. The missile can be launched from multiple platforms including land, sea, sub-sea and air.

Both the Army and Navy have already inducted the missile in service, while the air-version of the weapon is scheduled to be flight tested by the IAF soon.