The Indian army on Thursday became the first force in the world to be armed with surface-to-surface supersonic cruise missile, with the induction of 290 km range Brahmos missile.
With all four test firings of the missile, including two conducted by Army personnel going flawlessly, the surface- to-surface version of the Brahmos, which would provide tactical battle edge to the Army, is being inducted a year ahead of schedule.
President A P J Abdul Kalam, who is also the Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces, handed over a replica of the missile at a function to Army Chief General J J Singh, to mark the commencement of delivery of the supersonic missile to the army.
However, the actual delivery of the missile would commence next month, almost a year ahead of the scheduled induction fixed earlier for July, 2008, when two mobile batteries and mobile command post would be handed over to the Army.
"Early operationalisation of the missile system has been advanced by one year," a Defence Ministry spokesman said, apparently to counter Pakistan's development of a subsonic longer range cruise missile, Babur.
India is the first country in the world to field a supersonic surface-to-surface cruise missile.
The US, French and Chinese forces have only subsonic cruise missiles in their armoury.
Image: President Kalam with Army Chief General J J Singh
Photo courtesy: Rashtrapati Bhavan
