re: New BrahMos Cruise Missile: Range 500kms
ASMP entered service in 1986... ASMP-A entered service in 2009 as its replacement. The comparison is with air launched Brahmos which is a different missile than the surface launched variants. ASMP-A doesn't fly a straight trajectory to its target either. It maneuvers to avoid enemy air defences and comes in at tree top level when it enters the target zone. You don't think care has been taken to make a $20 million nuclear payload survivable? It is a far more important asset than a measly anti-shipping missile. Aster has already intercepted a 2.4 mach maneuvering Coyote target drone. It is the same kind of threat as Brahmos. It intercepts Mach 7 SRBMs so speed isn't a problem.
Coyote in the terminal approach phase will fly at Mach 2.5 at 5 m (16 ft) altitude. While the recent Brahmos test had the missile flying at 1m altitude at speeds of mach 3 while manoeuvring. Aster, RAM or any other existing system cannot counter that. Turning the Brahmos into a nuke missile isn't that hard either. Keep in mind, Brahmos in a low level flight can still fly 120km and a sub launched version is also soon to be tested. Brahmos isn't just a missile, it a tri-service system meant for a variety of targets and India can use it freely in any type of war without the need of crossing the nuke threshold.
ASMP is a shitty end of day weapon not meant for use unless for suicidal purposes. France has no enemies, France has no need of nukes, the only potential enemy if at all is China and currently China would whip France any day. China at least is big enough to have remnants from a nuke war, France isn't.
Comparing the ASMP to the Brahmos it is easily seen Brahmos is clearly far more advanced. Brahmos's manoeuvrability allows it to have many types of terminal moves including ones that allow it to hit targets hidden behind steep mountain ranges. It has the flexibility of being used from air, land or sea. It is produced in large numbers.
Speaking of hypersonic missiles, we have one Shaurya/Sagarika, try stopping this one. Atleast ASMP can be shot down, S-300 is already more than enough to handle this missile.
