New Indian Missile Can Strike Deep Into Chinese Territory

     India has successfully completed the test of a new long-range subsonic cruise missile capable of hitting Chinese territory.

On Oct. 17, the surface version of the Nirbhay — meaning "dauntless" or "fearless" — missile was tested at the Integrated Test Range at Chandipur in the Balasore district of Odisha, meeting all parameters and completing all 15 way-points. The missile reportedly traveled more than an hour and accurately hit its target.

"The missile maintained an accuracy better than 10 meters throughout its path and covered more than 1,000 kilometers," said Avinash Chander, head of India's Defence Research and Development Organisation, the Nirbhay's developer.

The Nirbhay was test fired for the first time in March 2013 but the missile veered away from its trajectory, forcing the command center to detach the engine and destroy the missile mid-flight.

Referred to as India's answer to America's Battleaxe subsonic cruise missile, the Nirbhay is an all-weather low-cost long-range cruise missile with stealth and high accuracy. It weighs about a tonne and has a length of six meters. The missile has its own wings and tail and has a range of more than 1,000 km, meaning it has the ability to strike deep into Chinese territory.

Notably, the Nirbhay can fly at very low altitudes to avoid the detection of enemy radars and can be launched from the land, sea and air. It can also carry 24 types of warheads — including nuclear — depending on mission requirements and uses an inertial navigation system for guidance.

Once the Nirbhay is inducted into the Indian Navy, Army and Air Force, currently expected around 2016, New Delhi will begin to stop importing new missiles.

"Our target is to make India missile-import free by the year 2022. This means that we need not import any missile in terms of air-to-ground, surface-to-air or the air-to-air missiles," Chander said.

India, Russia to export BrahMos to mutually agreeable countries

     The governments of India and Russia have agreed that BrahMos missile will be exported to a list of mutually agreeable countries for defensive purposes. There is also a negative list to which exports are barred.

The missile has been showcased in several countries to apprise the potential customers of its capabilities. “If any country approaches us we will look into it on a case by case basis. BrahMos Aerospace has the production capacity, game plan and skilled labour to supply. I would like to state that we are ready and waiting. It is for the government of India to decide”, Sudhir Mishra, CEO and MD of BrahMos Corporation said on Wednesday.

It has been learnt that three submarine manufacturers Amur (Russia), HDW (Germany) and Navantia (Spain) have approached BA for installing BrahMos on the new Project- 75I submarines should they bag the contract. The manufacturers have all assured that BrahMos can be installed on their submarines without affecting the quality of the missile or the submarine. Land attack capability is one of the requirements of the Project 75I submarines.

Asked about the deliverables for the next five to seven years, Mr. Mishra said, “We are concentrating all energies on the air launched variant to deliver it on schedule. Second is advanced land variants for the Army. We have recently demonstrated a steep dive capability at 65 degree to identify targets in a clutter. Next we are working on a near vertical and surround capability for use in the mountains.”

Nirbhay Cruise Missile : Fearlessly taking India to new heights

Deccan Herald

Nirbhay long range subsonic cruise missile

     The successful launch of India’s first long range subsonic cruise missile Nirbhay is an important landmark in the country’s missile development history. 

It is expected to fill a vital gap between supersonic cruise missiles and long range ballistic missiles in the country’s war fighting capabilities. It has long been in development and the success now comes after a failure when it was launched for the first time in March 2013. The missile had then strayed off its course and failed to hit the pres-designated target. But this time, it was a complete success with the missile flying along 15 pre-determined points on its 1,000 km course in the Bay of Bengal and maintaining an accuracy of 10 metre in the entire path. 


It is a low-flying missile moving just about the speed of commercial aircraft and is designed to evade detection by radars. It has such high accuracy that it can even hit a targeted building in populated area about 1,000 km away. The fact that it is nuclear capable raises its profile. 

The most important feature of Nirbhay is that it is completely indigenously designed and manufactured. The scientists and engineers of Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), who have worked on it for years, can be proud of their achievement. The missile’s specialised engine was made at the Gas Turbine Research Establishment (GTRE) in Bangalore. DRDO has not risen to the nation’s expectations in many areas and on many projects but it has done well in the development of missile technology. The Missile Technology Control Regime (MTCR) forbids signatory countries from assisting India in the development of a cruise missile with a range of over 300 km. 

That is why the range of the BrahMos missile, which was developed in a joint venture between India and Russia, had to be limited to 295 km. Pakistan has its Babur missile which is in the same category as Nirbhay, but its engine is considered to have been supplied by China in violation of the MTCR. The US, Russia and France are the only other countries which have the cruise missile technology. The missile will need more changes and fine-tuning and it will take three years before it is deployed in the forces. When it is ready, it is likely that it will be as good as the US’ iconic Tomahawk missile. It is a multi-platform weapon and can be launched from land, air, sea and underwater. The ability to launch them from submarines will greatly increase India’s strike power. It is also felt that it will fit well into the framework of India’s much discussed “cold start’’ strategic doctrine.