BrahMos secures USD 4 billion order to deliver cruise missiles

Bangalore, Feb 8 (PTI) Indo-Russian joint ventureBrahMos Aerospace has secured orders from the Armed Forces todeliver supersonic cruise missiles, valued at USD fourbillion, a top company official said today.

The orders by Army, Navy and Air Force would beexecuted in the next five-six years, BrahMos Aerospace ChiefExecutive and Managing Director A Sivathanu Pillai told PTI.

The order book was projected to swell to USD 10billion in the next 10-15 years given the demand in India,Russia and "other countries", which he did not name.

BrahMos Aerospace is a USD 300 million joint venturebetween Defence Research Development Organisation (DRDO) thatholds 50.5 per cent stake and Military IndustrialConsortium/MPO Machinostroyenia of Russia the remainingequity.

BrahMos cruise missiles with a range of 290 km arealready in service in the Army and Navy. "We are nowconcentrating on the air version of the cruise missile andunder-water version.

"So, all the three services are going to have theBrahMos system," Pillai said.

The Sukhoi-30 fitted with the missile, whose weightwould be reduced from 3.9 tonnes to 2.5 tonnes, would be flownnext year, he said.

Pillai said both India and Russia were augmentingcapacity to manufacture the missiles to meet the demand.

Indian industries providing components for the missileprogramme are expected to almost double their investment inthe next two-three years to scale up supplies.

BrahMos was bringing in new industries as suppliers toenhance competition and bring down component prices, he said.

Currently, the engine and seeker were the Russiancomponents in the cruise missile he said, adding "we are goingto make them in India."

BrahMos'' "next target" is to develop hypersonicreusable missiles with Russia, he said.