Sindhu jha
NEW DELHI: In another most significant technological leap in India’s missile development history, the flight test of BrahMos-II is likely to be conducted in 2027–28. Early insights indicate that BrahMosII is shaping up to be not just a successor to the existing BrahMos but a transformational platform that could redefine deterrence dynamics in the Indo-Pacific.
The first test will focus on validating three of the missile’s most critical technologies. The foremost objective is achieving sustained Mach 8 cruise performance, a benchmark that pushes the missile into the upper tier of global hypersonic systems. Sustained hypersonic cruise requires an extremely high-efficiency scramjet propulsion unit capable of stable combustion at blistering velocities, a challenge that only a handful of nations have managed to demonstrate even in experimental setups.
Equally important is the validation of guidance accuracy at hypersonic speeds, one of the most demanding domains in modern missile engineering. Achieving precision at these speeds means BrahMos-II could dramatically shrink decision timelines for adversaries, giving India a potent counter to rapidly evolving missile defenses in the region.
The flight test will also be used to evaluate hightemperature material performance, an area where India has made significant breakthroughs in recent years. The BrahMos-II program is expected to leverage materials research from DRDO’s hypersonic demonstrator efforts, as well as joint developments with Russia, creating a new class of survivable airframes for sustained hypersonic travel. As per defence sources, the move toward a 2027–28 test window aligns with India’s broader strategy to establish layered hypersonic capabilities by the early 2030s.
