Indian army tested successfully firing advanced version BrahMos supersonic cruise missile 1308111.

It was the 25th flight test of the advanced version of BrahMos the missile system. The missile was fired "at a supersonic speed in a steep-dive mode" from Chandan area of Pokhran field firing range and the target was put up at Ajasar, located 28km away.

The ramjet propelled supersonic cruise missile flies at a top speed of Mach 2.8. It can carry conventional warheads up to 300 kg for a range of 290 km. It can effectively engage ground targets from an altitude as low as 10 metres.

One regiment of the 290-km range BrahMos-I variant, which consists of 67 missiles, five MALs on 12x12 Tatra vehicles and two mobile command posts, among other equipment, is already operational in the Army, which is also in the process of inducting two more regiments of BrahMos Block-II land attack cruise missiles (LACM). The LACM has been designed as "precision strike weapons" capable of hitting small targets in cluttered urban environments.

The BRAHMOS missile is a two-stage vehicle that has a solid propellant booster and a liquid propellant ram-jet system.

Sources said the cruise missiles fly at low altitudes and have the ability to evade enemy radars and air defence systems. They are also easier and cheaper to operate.

The test fire at Pokhran has been conducted "to fulfil the needs of the Army", the sources said adding that the land attack version block 2 is fitted with "advance seeker software and has the capacity of discriminating the target. The missile will provide an enhanced capability to the Army for selection of particular land target among a group of targets".