Article Posted on : - Jan 31, 2011

BRAHMOS will power the SU-30MKI fighters of the IAF.

CHENNAI (PTI): BRAHMOS, the supersonic cruise missile for the Indian Air Force (IAF), would be ready by next year, a top official has said.

“BRAHMOS will be ready for the IAF by next year and the supersonic missile is nine times faster than other missiles in the world,” BrahMos Aerospace Chief Executive and Managing Director A Sivathanu Pillai told reporters here Sunday.

On the development of the hypersonic missile that would travel seven times more than the sound, he said the basic technology was being developed. "It will take at least six years", he said.

BrahMos Aerospace would also manufacture cryogenic engines for the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO).

"Once the technology gets ready (by ISRO), we will begin doing the engines for them," Pillai said.

The ISRO was in the process of developing cryogenic engine to power its Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicles (GSLV), he said.

ISRO's Kerala unit was already in the process of making liquid fuels that would power engines, the official said.

BrahMos Aerospace is the brain child of former President A P J Abdul Kalam. It is the joint venture company between India's Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) and Russia's NPO Mashinostroyenia.

The aim of the partnership is to design, develop, manufacture and market supersonic cruise missile system BRAHMOS.