BrahMos failed as US shut its eyes in the sky?
Manoj K DasFirst Published : 02 Feb 2009 02:11:00 AM ISTLast Updated : 02 Feb 2009 06:59:48 PM ISTKOCHI:
DRDO scientists have launched an investigation into the failure of the BrahMos army version missile, especially why its GPS system couldnt link onboard computers with hovering satellites eventually crippling its guidance system and keeping it frm achieving mission objectives.
The ambit of the probe will also examine why US satellites blinked during the test window, thereby denying the missile the crucial inputs needed for its guidance.
A primary analysis of the January 20 test has shown that the missile, a special version capable of hitting hidden targets like terrorist camps, performed the flight plan but missed the target. The missile was supposed to hit a rather insignificant target hidden among obstructions at the Pokharan range.
It had an advance seeker which was to home in on the target using GPS data obtained through US satellites.But it is a mystery why the SCAN technology failed to access the satellites, said BrahMos sources.
The seeker, an advanced one developed to guide the missile to very insignificant targets, was a success during test flights. The seeker and the new software were tested extensively using fighter aircraft flying at top speeds.
Once we were confident of their success, we decided to go in for the first test on the missile. But the failure is a mystery, top sources told to The New Indian Express.The BrahMos special version, in spite of being an Indo-Russian venture, was fully dependent on US satellites. The Russian global positioning network is not usually used by Indian defence agencies for their strategic programmes. This leads to speculation about why the entire galaxy of US satellites failed to provide signals to the missile. We need to solve the mystery of how the satellites suddenly failed over the Pokharan skies, sources said.
The probe report is expected by Wednesday and will be submitted to the Defence Minister. Though the failure rattled the Army a bit, sources said its top brass was still for BrahMos missiles. We will wait for the result of the February 20 tests.
The missile is still the best to hit a defined and designated target like an enemy depot or an airport. The wait-and-watch is only regarding the advanced version of BrahMos, sources told to The New Indian Express.
