MAKS 2009: BrahMos exports only after Indian forces fully equipped

Zhukovsky, Moscow Region: Sale of the Indo-Russian supersonic cruise missile BrahMos around the world will commence only after the Indian armed forces are fully equipped, according to the director general and chief designer of the NPO Machine Building Military-Industrial Corp., Alexander Leonov.

"To date, there are no 'third country' contracts for the BrahMos,'' said Leonov. This he said was a consequence of ''the Indian Government's declared intentions to first arm its army, air force and navy with these missiles."

The Russian director of the BrahMos Aerospace joint venture also affirmed the same sentiment saying that as of now "there is no single protocol of intentions, although interest in the missile is very large."

The missile will be tested from a vertical launcher on board a ship. It is expected that the missile would be installed onboard at least nine Indian Navy ships.

NPO officials also said that developmental work was also being carried out to install the missile onboard ''aircraft carriers and submarines.''

The BrahMos joint venture was established in 1998 under an agreement between the Governments of India and Russia.  The first test of the BrahMos was carried out on 12 June 2001. So far, that is up to August 2009, more than 20, largely successful, launches of the cruise missile have taken place from ships, land-based fixed and mobile launchers.

An airborne version is currently under development.