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Josy Joseph in New Delhi
The navy will begin user trials of Brahmos, India's first supersonic cruise missile, being developed in a joint venture with Russia, in the next few months.
The trials are to be conducted from a Rajput-class destroyer some time in June or July, officers said.
If the trials are successful, the Brahmos development team will begin work on its air and land versions.
Brahmos has several varieties of flight trajectories and uses the 'fire and forget' principle. It also has a low radar signature. According to officials of the Defence Research and Development Organisation, the missile is also easy to operate.
Brahmos, believed to have a range of 290km at Mach 2.8, can fly at any altitude from 10metres to 14km with a payload of up to 300 kilograms. Defence sources said the navy has also shown an interest in making the missile a nuclear-capable one. But the low payload is a constraint.
The navy has already had a few rounds of talks with the Brahmos team on this subject.
EARLIER REPORT: Indo-Russian missile to be inducted in 2-3 years
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