150 Missiles a Year? India's New BrahMos Hub Is Ready To Fire
Virtually inaugurated by the defence minister, the BrahMos Aerospace Integration and Testing Facility is part of the Uttar Pradesh Defence Industrial Corridor (UPDIC), an initiative to strengthen indigenous defence production and reduce dependence on imports.
The Lucknow hub joins five other defence nodes in the state tha are located in Chitrakoot, Jhansi, Agra, Aligarh and Kanpur.
Mass-Production Of Strategic Weapon
The new unit is expected to begin manufacturing 80 to 100 BrahMos missiles annually, with plans to scale up the production to 150 units per year as it transitions to the lighter and next-generation (NG) variants.
These upgraded missiles will enhance deployment flexibility across land, air and naval platforms, offering India greater reach and deterrence in high-stakes military scenarios.
Developed by BrahMos Aerospace, a joint venture between India's Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) and Russia's NPO Mashinostroyeniya, the BrahMos missile has earned its reputation as a formidable precision-strike weapon.
Capable of flying at speeds up to Mach 2.8 (approximately 3,430 km/h), the missile can engage targets at ranges between 290 and 400 kilometers. Its 'fire-and-forget' capability allows for high-accuracy strikes with minimal operator intervention.
The NG version of the missile marks a technological leap. Weighing just 1,290 kg compared to its predecessor's 2,900 kg, the lighter BrahMos variant allows fighter jets such as the Su-30MKI to carry up to three missiles simultaneously. It will improve sortie effectiveness and operational flexibility.
Designed For Scale And Speed
The Lucknow facility has been built on an 80-hectare plot provided by the Uttar Pradesh government at no cost, with an overall project investment of Rs 300 crore. From groundbreaking in 2021 to full operational status in four years, the unit represents one of India's fastest defence infrastructure turnarounds.
Apart from missile assembly and testing, the facility will host the Titanium and Super Alloys Materials Plant, formally known as the Strategic Materials Technology Complex, for producing aerospace-grade materials crucial to modern weapons systems.
A separate Defence Testing Infrastructure System (DTIS) facility, whose foundation was also laid during the event, will function as a national testing ground for various defence technologies.
Expansion of Defence Corridor Vision
Announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi during the 2018 Global Investors' Summit, the UPDIC aims to position India as a major defence exporter while creating local jobs and boosting regional economies.
After Tamil Nadu, Uttar Pradesh is the second Indian state to establish a full-scale defence manufacturing corridor.
With the BrahMos integration unit now operational, India takes a step toward aligning its strategic defence goals with self-reliance. And with production set to ramp up sharply, the missile that can be launched from land, air or sea may soon become a more frequent presence in India's growing arsenal.
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