By Anantha Krishnan M
Express News Serivce
Bangalore: India on Tuesday embarked upon a major mission in miniaturising missile systems by successfully testing a G3OM (GPS, GLONASS, GAGAN on a Module) receiver on the BrahMos supersonic cruise missile. Developed by Hyderabad-based Research Centre Imarat (RCI), a Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), the G3OM receiver has been produced by a Bangalore-based private firm.
Sources told Express that it is for the first time that a G3OM receiver has been used in any missile worldwide. "It is definitely for the first time an Indian missile is using such a complex system and to our knowledge no nations have so far tested it. This paves way for highly miniaturised missiles in future. The G3OM weighs around 17 grams and provides hit accuracy below 5 meters," an official said.
Through G3OM receiver, the missile can take target acquisition from American GPS, Russian GLONASS and India's GAGAN system at one go. Combined with inertial navigation system (INS), a G3OM receiver can provide very high accuracies even without a seeker. "During Tuesday's launch, the G3OM was used in a hybrid manner with an INS. These are next-generation technologies on missile front and we are sure that many more missile will now benefit from this. It is a major step in India's missile avionics," the official said.
Super BrahMos? With a number of new features being tested on the missile on Tuesday, including a supersonic steep dive capability against difficult/hidden land target, scientists are not ruling out the emergence of 'Super BrahMos.' While scientists term the new avatar as an advanced missile, many feel that the 'Super BrahMos' might have just taken birth.
"Missiles world over are getting smarter and we are also working on systems that will either increase the range of the missile or the warhead. The idea is to hit the target faster and with precision. We have taken the big leap with miniaturised chips ready to call the shots in future," the official said.
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