After China's CX-1 supersonic cruise missile, displayed at the recent
Zhuhai Airshow, was noted to resemble India's BrahMos missile, the
Beijing-based Sina Military Network undertook a comparison between the
Chinese and Indian missiles on Nov. 18.
The Chaoxun-1 missile
designed by China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation has
earned the nickname Cahoxi 1 ("Copy 1" in English) because of its
uncanny similarity to the BrahMos missile jointly developed by Russia
and India. However, Wang Hongpo, the chief designer of the missile, said
the CX-1 is a completely new design. Wang said it has different wings,
aerodynamic guidance and jet vane.
Under the restrictions of the
Missile Technology Control Regime, the attacking range of cruise
missiles like the CX-1 and BrahMos can not exceed 300 kilometers. Wang
said this is the main reason the CX-1 shares many similar
characteristics with the BrahMos. Sina Military Network noted that the
CX-1 flies faster than the Indian missile. It is capable of reaching a
speed of Mach 3 at 17,000 meters, whereas the BrahMos can only reach
Mach 2.6 at an altitude of 14,000 meters.
Launched against
targets in low altitude, the speed of the CX-1 is Mach 2.3., while the
Russian-built P-800 Oniks on which the BrahMos is designed can only
reach Mach 2. Sina Military Network said the CX-1's ramjet engine may be
better than the solid rocket motor of the P-800. However, it pointed
out that the attack range of CX-1 can be reduced to 40 kilometers at low
trajectories while the Russian missile can travel 120 kilometers.
Since
the BrahMos is designed to conduct attacks below an altitude of 500
meters, the Sina Military Network said the Indian missile is unsuitable
for actual combat situations. Though India plans to produce 2,000
BrahMos, only 200 of them have been produced, the report said, adding
that the proof of the CX-1's superiority will rest in how many nations
wish to purchase it.
