Russia to unveil PJ-10 missile

By Vladimir Radyuhin

MOSCOW, JUNE 27. The PJ-10 missile, jointly developed by India and Russia, will be unveiled at the Moscow annual air show, MAKS- 2001, in August, defence sources here said.

The decision to display the new supersonic anti-ship missile was taken after its Russian designer pronounced the first test-firing of the missile as unqualified success. After detailed analysis of the missile's firing at the Chandipur Interim Test Range two weeks ago the state-owned NPO Mashinostroyenia enterprise certified that BrahMos' performance met 100 per cent the technical parametres for the flight range and hitting accuracy, the sources said.

NPO Mashinostroyenie was responsible for designing the 6.9-metre stealth-technology missile and its propulsion system, while the Indian side provided its onboard computer guidance system. PJ-10 may be inducted in the Indian Navy and offered for sale to third countries in 2003, after the completion of comprehensive tests, according to Mr. Gerbert Yefremov, chief designer of NPO Mashinostroyenie. He believes the new missile has good marketing prospects.

``BrahMos will arrive in the market at a very appropriate time, when most navies will begin replacing their anti-ship missiles on a large scale,'' the PJ-10 designer told reporters. ``More than 12,000 such missiles have been sold world- wide over the past 30 years.''

The Russian partners in the project hope that the BrahMos Joint Venture set up to build and market the new cruise missile will be able to sell it in thee markets of South-East and West Asia which have been traditionally dominated by the United States and therefore closed to Russia. However, in going for the joint missile project with India Russia has sacrificed its chances of selling the similar Yakhont or Onyx cruise system, on whose basis PJ-10 has been designed, the sources told Izvestia. India has reportedly agreed to compensate Russia for lost revenues by purchasing ``several hundreds'' of these missiles, the sources said.

Russian media have pointed out that by making missile technology available to India Russia has consciously moved to tip the strategic balance in the region in India's favour.

``The joint development and successful testing of the PJ-10 missile is an indication of the emerging strategic realignment in the region,'' the high-brow Nezavisimaya Gazeta said. ``PJ-10 is more than a match for similar missiles available to China.''

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Section  : International
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