You are overestimating the price difference based on one component. It will still be very expensive compared to subsonic missiles. Only subsonic and ballistic can be used for saturation attacks. LORA and LRLACM like combo is the answer.
Brahmos Supersonic Cruise Missile : News, Updates and Discussions
- Thread starter Manmohan_MMY
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Scramjet one is entirely different case, you have to develop suitable materials, coating technique, precision valve systems, combustor, working communication system, hydrocarbon fuel, guidance and control systems and finally prove the same over flight trial missions. So a lot of stuff that are to be used would be first time developed application specific, aka very less volumetric demand initially. So the cost is obviously very high.
But if we just consider the supersonic usage, there is enough scope for cost to go down, and being more effective than any subsonic counterpart. Rest depends on use tactics. Once multiple working ramjet variants are available and tech base expand, from single solid rocket motor to dual pulse motors in use now, to multi pulse, to LFRJ based tactical applications, to SFDR based tactical applications, to general hypersonic glide body applications, there are many scope available to a mission planner should all the options are available besides the subsonic lacm and LORA like theater bm.
As we know, there are definite plans for tactical usage once the core tech is mature. We have already seen it with strategic systems,
But if we just consider the supersonic usage, there is enough scope for cost to go down, and being more effective than any subsonic counterpart. Rest depends on use tactics. Once multiple working ramjet variants are available and tech base expand, from single solid rocket motor to dual pulse motors in use now, to multi pulse, to LFRJ based tactical applications, to SFDR based tactical applications, to general hypersonic glide body applications, there are many scope available to a mission planner should all the options are available besides the subsonic lacm and LORA like theater bm.
As we know, there are definite plans for tactical usage once the core tech is mature. We have already seen it with strategic systems,
Not denying all of that. But a Ramjet cruise missile that flies just 50 feet above the ground(at times even lower) at Mach 2+ is an altogether different proposition to take out high value targets and completely saturate HQ-9 derivatives. It gives much less reaction time for enemy IADS to move/re-position. Of course, ITCM, LORA, Pralay and even our MLRS all form part of this joint endeavour.
How feasible is it for the Brahmos' existing ramjet to hit Mach 5?
Iirc they have an upgrade roadmap that will increase its speed up to 1.5 times. Can't remember clearly but reports indicated they were either going to use an upgraded solid booster or develop a more energetic fuel.
They showed roadmap for that, to increase speed but given no set timeline involved and frankly this being a jv which depends on ToT from 2 different Government agencies, the roadmap is worth nothing until it happens. However they seem to be fixated on NG/MA being primarily air and submarine torpedo tube launched as big usp of this system. Regular Brahmos needs hardpoint hardening for air launch, plus was not 533mm torpedo tube compatible before. This version is primarily export oriented, or so they hope.
Will it only need new materials to operate in a higher Mach regime or will the airframe need modifications too?
Also, hypersonic missile apparently need to slow down in the terminal phase to acquire their targets which makes them easy prey for anti-missile systems. What's the reason for that? Is it just the seeker that experiences interference at hypersonic speeds or do other RF components like altimeters and data links also start lagging? TIA.
Also, hypersonic missile apparently need to slow down in the terminal phase to acquire their targets which makes them easy prey for anti-missile systems. What's the reason for that? Is it just the seeker that experiences interference at hypersonic speeds or do other RF components like altimeters and data links also start lagging? TIA.
At hypersonic speeds(Mach 5+), plasma clouds/layers is formed. Plasma has the ability to completely absorb all Radio/Electromagnetic Waves, thus missile has to slow down in terminal phase to get rid of this syndrome and acquire the target.
So my speculation about India developing fully indigenous Ramjet Supersonic cruise missile comes true: @Ashwin
You keep celebrating things prematurely. Hoping for things to happen is one thing, and actually moving in that direction is another. Be patient
.yeah like nirbhay cruise missile its going way to fast.
ITCM and its other derivatives are about to become a reality in operational service soon. Yeah, it has taken time but then all complicated tech(especially its engine) takes time. So, no worries.yeah like nirbhay cruise missile its going way to fast.
obviously enemy will have no worries when you use russian turbine engine in nirbhay and liquid fuel in bhramos.
I understand it takes time but we are taking so much time on basics itself that by the time we have some thing working it will be outdated and the armed forces will go shopping outside the cntry for so called state of the art systems bankrupting the economy.
The Nirbhay has been a long time coming. Iirc development started in 2007 and initial versions were to be powered by Russkie turbojet engines. I think the airframe, guidance and stuff is pretty much proven. It's the Manik TF engine that has taken the longest time to be proofed. But there is reason to cheer because pvt cos like Kalyani, DG Aero(?) and others are getting into jet engine dev big time.
We are in the final lap of having our own subsonic LACM plus spinoff versions for AShW. Iirc, the last positive idigenizaton list bans LACM import from 2028.
We are in the final lap of having our own subsonic LACM plus spinoff versions for AShW. Iirc, the last positive idigenizaton list bans LACM import from 2028.
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Listen to this video from 2:19:41 to 2:28:05
Brahmos' ramjet engine is still some way from being indigenized. Efforts are on from both Brahmos aerospace & DRDO. In 2023, I had posted that they have already achieved indigenization of the ramjet engine. I was wrong.
In electronics sub-systems (IC ships) we have ~30-40% domestic content. The only items sourced from abroad are more complex semi-conductors. We will probably be able to indigenize them completely when the SCL foundry in upgraded.
Brahmos' ramjet engine is still some way from being indigenized. Efforts are on from both Brahmos aerospace & DRDO. In 2023, I had posted that they have already achieved indigenization of the ramjet engine. I was wrong.
In electronics sub-systems (IC ships) we have ~30-40% domestic content. The only items sourced from abroad are more complex semi-conductors. We will probably be able to indigenize them completely when the SCL foundry in upgraded.