Defence News
DRDO lab developing New booster propellant for BrahMos missile
A solid propellant used as booster for the BrahMos supersonic cruise missile, which was successfully test fired from a Sukhoi-30 fighter jet on Wednesday, is being developed by Pune-based High Energy Materials Research Laboratory (HEMRL) of the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO).
HEMRL Director KPS Murthy, who was speaking to reporters on the sidelines of the inauguration of the 11th International High Energy Materials Conference and Exhibits (HEMCE-2017), made the announcement on Thursday.
Murthy said, “A solid proponent booster, which is an important component of the BrahMos, is in its final stages of development. The requisites, which have been conducted in the recent past, have shown positive results and a final test, called mechanical vibration test, will be carried out next month.
The propellant will thereafter be put to use in the missile.” The test of the BrahMos missile on Wednesday is important as it has made the missile capable of being fired from land, sea and air. The supersonic missile, which has a range of 300 kilometres, has been developed and manufactured by BrahMos Aerospace Pvt Ltd, a joint venture between the DRDO and NPOM from Russia.
HEMRL scientists said that indigenously manufactured fuel will make the production of the missile much more cost effective. The three-day conference that began on Thursday is focused on insensitivity munitions, which are developed to withstand extreme conditions and Green Energetic Materials, which are explosives and propellant with the least pollutant emission.
Murthy added that the HEMRL has developed two green explosives that are in the final stages of testing and will soon be put to use with the armed forces. He said that in the days to come, the defence establishments will have to focus on green technologies to minimise the pollution and footprint created during manufacturing, testing and usage.
V Udaya Bhaskar, Chairman, Bharat Dynamics Limited (BDL), which is the key missile manufacturing PSU of India and PK Mehta, head of Armament and Combat Engineering of the DRDO, were also present.
