Russian missile designer Alexander Leonov, who created BrahMos, is no more. He died on 5 April at the age of 74. Leonov was the CEO and chief designer of the Russian company NPOMASH. This company is the Russian partner of Delhi’s BrahMos Aerospace. Leonov also designed Russia’s hypersonic missile Zircon.
Zircon is a hypersonic missile which was designed to attack enemy naval bases, but now it is capable of attacking land also. It is known for its precise attacks. Leonov is also known for designing the Bastion coastal defense system along with space systems and missiles.
Missile 9 times faster than the speed of sound
Zircon missile can be launched from naval ships and submarines and can also be used for coastal defense. Zircon missile is approximately 9 times faster than the speed of sound. It can hit from 400 to 1500 kilometers. Can carry both normal and nuclear warheads.
Zircon Missile.
Leonov was born on February 26, 1952 in Morshansk, Tambov region. In 1975 he graduated from Moscow Aviation Institute. Started a job in the Central Design Bureau of Mechanical Engineering (now NPO Mashinostroyenia). It was here that he became a design engineer and played an important role in taking it to great heights.
NPO Mashinostroyeniya, under Leonov’s leadership, developed warheads for Avangard intercontinental ballistic missiles. Also manufactured Zircon hypersonic missile, which is one of the world’s most modern and fastest anti-ship weapons.
BrahMos missile.
NPO Mashinostroyeniya produces Onyx cruise missiles and the Bastion coastal complex, supporting the operation of UR-100N UTTH ballistic missiles. It was under his leadership that the company manufactured radar surveillance satellite. Alexander Leonov was honored with the Hero of Labor Award for his contribution to the defense sector.
Russian missile designer Alexander Leonov.
As CEO of NPOMASH, India and Russia became partners to build BrahMos. Under his leadership, the next version of BrahMos, BrahMos NG missile, was prepared. Along with this, he has contributed to systems like Granit, Vulcan, Bastion and Onyx. This cooperation has been the basis of strategic relations between India and Russia in missile technology.
What does the name Brahmos mean?
BrahMos missile is an example of strategic partnership between India and Russia. Its name has been kept by combining the names of two rivers. BrahMos is named after the Brahmaputra river of India and the Moskva river of Russia. The word Brahmos was formed by taking the word Brahma from Brahmaputra and Mos from Moskva River. This missile became a symbol of partnership between India and Russia. Both the countries developed it together. This is the reason why the connection between the two countries is visible in its name.
Also read: Iran has found the enemy’s weak spot, now giving three wounds with one attack.