Mach 3.5 BrahMos-NG Stealth Missile Poised to Revolutionise India's Air Strike Tactics, Rendering Pakistan's Air Defence Systems Almost Obsolete

The BrahMos-NG (Next Generation), a compact and advanced iteration of the Indo-Russian BrahMos supersonic cruise missile, is set to redefine India’s aerial strike capabilities.

With a reduced weight, smaller size, and an increased speed of Mach 3.5, the BrahMos-NG is designed to be nearly impossible to intercept, posing a formidable challenge to adversaries like Pakistan.

When air-launched from platforms like the HAL Tejas Mk1A, which can carry two of these missiles, the BrahMos-NG promises to enhance the Indian Air Force’s (IAF) precision and deterrence in the subcontinent’s volatile geopolitical landscape.

The BrahMos-NG is a sleeker, lighter, and more advanced version of the original BrahMos missile, which is renowned for its Mach 2.8–3.0 speed and precision strike capabilities.

Developed by BrahMos Aerospace, a joint venture between India’s Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) and Russia’s NPO Mashinostroyeniya, the NG variant is optimized for integration with a wider range of platforms, including smaller fighters like the Tejas Mk1A.

Its key features include:

• Reduced Size and Weight: Weighing approximately 1.3–1.5 tons and measuring 5–6 meters in length with a 50 cm diameter, the BrahMos-NG is 50% lighter and up to three meters shorter than its predecessor, which weighs 2.5–3 tons. This compact design allows smaller aircraft like the Tejas Mk1A to carry two missiles, significantly enhancing their combat potential.
• Increased Speed: With a speed of Mach 3.5 (approximately 4,320 km/h), the BrahMos-NG is faster than the original, reducing the reaction time for enemy air defences and making interception extremely difficult. Its high kinetic energy enhances target penetration, surpassing subsonic missiles like the Tomahawk, which has 32 times less on-cruise kinetic energy.
• Stealth Features: The BrahMos-NG boasts a lower radar cross-section (RCS) due to its smaller size and advanced materials, making it harder for radar systems to detect. It also incorporates an Active Electronically Scanned Array (AESA) radar for guidance, replacing the mechanically scanned radar of the original BrahMos, improving resistance to electronic countermeasures and enhancing precision.
• Multi-Platform Versatility: Designed for air, land, sea, and submarine-launched variants, the BrahMos-NG can be fired from torpedo tubes of submarines like the P75I class and mounted on fighters such as the Sukhoi Su-30MKI, MiG-29UPG, Mirage 2000, and Tejas. The Su-30MKI can carry up to four NG missiles, while the Tejas Mk1A can carry two, a significant upgrade for the lightweight fighter.

Challenges for Pakistan’s Air Defences​

Pakistan’s air defence network, primarily reliant on Chinese-supplied systems like the HQ-9 (a derivative of the Russian S-300) and HQ-16FE, struggles to counter the BrahMos-NG’s capabilities.

The missile’s Mach 3.5 speed and low-altitude flight profile (5–15 meters in the terminal phase) drastically reduce detection and engagement windows, often to less than 10 seconds. Key challenges include:

• Interception Difficulty: The HQ-9, Pakistan’s most advanced surface-to-air missile system, has a maximum engagement speed of Mach 4.2 and a reaction time of 12–15 seconds. The BrahMos-NG’s high speed and low RCS make it nearly impossible to track and engage effectively, as demonstrated during Operation Sindoor in May 2025, where BrahMos missiles struck 11 of 12 targeted Pakistani airbases without interception.
• Electronic Warfare Limitations: Pakistan’s claims of using “soft kill” measures like jamming or spoofing to neutralize BrahMos missiles are questionable. The BrahMos-NG’s advanced ECCM (electronic counter-countermeasures) and multi-mode guidance (inertial, satellite, and active radar) make it highly resistant to such tactics.
• Strategic Impact: The BrahMos-NG’s ability to target critical infrastructure, such as Pakistan’s Noor Khan airbase in Rawalpindi, demonstrated during Operation Sindoor, underscores its role as a game-changer. The Tejas Mk1A’s deployment with two BrahMos-NG missiles amplifies this threat, enabling India to conduct deep strikes with minimal risk to pilots.

The BrahMos-NG’s integration with the Tejas Mk1A significantly enhances India’s deterrence against Pakistan, particularly in the context of ongoing border tensions and Pakistan’s support for cross-border terrorism.

The 2025 India-Pakistan standoff highlighted the BrahMos’s devastating effectiveness, with 15 missiles crippling Pakistan’s air defences and forcing a ceasefire.

 

Pakistan’s dossier reveals India struck more targets in Op Sindoor than disclosed

False probe offers, empty peace claims: India dismantles Pakistan’s Pahalgam dossier

[sanket]

Very nice! That's what I was saying. Tejas MK1A can carry two missiles, but one fool was saying only one. Super Sukhoi/Su-30 MKI can carry up to four BrahMos-NG, that's great! I was expecting three, but four is a bonus. Four can give a run for money for Pakistan by engaging fewer fighter jets than BrahMos-A. In the future, speed may increase to beyond Mach 6, plus extended range. That will make it unbeatable.

 

[R. Singh]

To carry two BrahMos HAL need to upgrade Tejas-1A with strengthen airframe, 90+ KN engine , next gen AESA Radar ! Tejas 1A must attain Mac-2.25 speed since its primary is air defence and its should have twin missile launch pylons !

 

[Koorma]

The IAF must be regretting that they do not have bombers. How easy it would have been to ruin all of Pakistan's airfields by bombing them with cheap bombs instead of expensive BrahMos.

 

[DS]

Perfect.😇

 

[Leo red]

Forget Pakistan. For T20, Pakistan's play is good. Our Air Force proved it can play anytime there. We need to focus on China. They are expanding very fast, and so are their arsenals. So focus on 800 or 2,000 km range BrahMos. First, our defence forces must engage with them in talks and try to improve the relationship. So should our diplomatic channels. Also, focused active discussions on border areas should be held regularly. We need to keep China on the friendly side if possible, try to prevent them from feeding Pokis. Otherwise, keep them calm at least. Improve business with them. But our defence should be very strong considering any threat in the future. Focus on 800 km then 2,000 km BrahMos, especially. Don't focus too much on Pakistan. Keep them for breakfast.