Vietnam is finalizing an agreement with India to acquire BrahMos supersonic cruise missiles amounting to $700 million.
The missiles will be utilized by Hanoi’s air-launched and land-based systems compatible with the Vietnam People’s Air Force’s Su-30 jets, furthering the country’s recent push for a more modernized defense force.
The deal is scheduled to be finalized in the coming weeks, according to the Indian Defence Research Wing.
This comes following reports of Hanoi showing interest in purchasing a $625-million package consisting of three to five batteries in 2023.
Vietnam will be the second country in Asia to acquire the missiles, following the Philippines’ three-battery, shore-based variant deal in 2021 for $362 million.
India’s Mach 3 Missile
The BrahMos is a medium-range ramjet supersonic cruise missile capable of reaching three times the speed of sound. It is equipped with a 440- to 660-pound (200 to 300-kilogram) semi-armor-piercing warhead.
Its multiple variants allow it to be fired by land, sea, and air launch systems depending on the preferred operating range. It tracks its targets with built-in INS and SatNav platforms, as well as an active radar homing system.
Potential future operators include Brazil, Indonesia, and Malaysia, which expressed interest in acquiring the missiles’ air-launched variant for the Royal Malaysian Air Force.
