John wrote:Brahmos does have datalink capability both with launch platform (Satellite has been mentioned as well) as well able to provide target information to each other (NPO talks about how this feature was carried over from Shipwreck missile).
It doesn't. It was all a myth that was in Shipwreck missile would be in Brahmos. There is no datalink. Its purely fire and forget. No satnav either.
http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-GX616Y7jpKI/U ... ysterm.jpg
See where the information is fed. Its to the launcher from the C3I node. Not the missile itself.
Unless you a carrier or operating close to land, you are not going to be provide continuous air support to AEW operating against PLAN assets far out in Indian Ocean and even with air support it would rather hard to defend against a Flanker on a suicide run against AEW platform.
Again, how many CVVs do the PLAN or PN operate?
Biggest problem with Nirbhay is the fact the missile is subsonic and even performing some of high G manveurs like Harpoon missile will greatly reduce its range. If you using subsonic Nirbhay without any terminal maneuvering it is going get shot down very easily. I cannot comment on PLAN anti missile capabilities but single module of Barak-1 or Rim-116 has demonstrated the ability to take down half dozen subsonic targets with high probability. Not even going to get SAMs like Aster or Barak-8 which are in whole another league.
Let me make it as straightforward as possible. A 450km M3 missile performing maneuvers vs 1000km subsonic missile performing maneuvers, which retains more range? The Brahmos range in a lo-lo-lo profile dropped to <150km vs its original 290km if I remember it correctly.
Also, how easy is it for PLAN radars & CIWS to detect a Nirbay at 5m ASL, let alone target it. Because that's what was demonstrated in the recent test.
Given PRCs huge issues with detecting targets against clutter, I wouldn't be surprised if the system had to revert to manual fire control or optically driven capability, with corresponding drop in efficacy.
The extra range also means it can retain a lo-lo-lo profile throughout (~500km, say using the Brahmos measure, though it will likely be more) and if it doesn't climb for a target fix, it will be located only once it crosses the radar horizon. Even assuming the radar is at 18m (very generous overestimate, given draught is 6m, see
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Type_052C_destroyer), the radar horizon for a Nirbhay is at 26 Km, when its flying at 5m ASL.
So time available for defenders is also less. A Nirbhay flying at 650 kmph will cover 26 km in around 0.04th of an hr, i.e. 2.4 minutes. That's 2.4 minutes for the Chinese CIWS to pick up a Nirbhay against sea clutter and shoot it down. Not likely to be easy by any means, especially, if the Nirbhay performs a S-maneuver when coming in and makes the targeting even harder.
Now add 2-3 Nirbhays and the situation gets even worse.