Indian Navy to Equip Legacy Kashin and Veer Classes with BrahMos

India’s new ₹661.5 crore contract covers BrahMos fire-control systems and launchers for two Veer-class corvettes and two Ranvir-class destroyers. The signing image identified the ships by class, but the press release did not name them individually. The upgrade matters because it brings a powerful missile system to older, smaller warships.

The likely Ranvir-class recipients are INS Ranvir and INS Ranvijay. Both already carry eight-cell vertical BrahMos launch systems at the stern, but retain older inclined Styx launchers at the bow. The likely Veer-class recipients are INS Prabal and INS Pralaya, the only two of their class carrying 16 Kh-35E missiles in four quad launchers.

The contract is expected to provide inclined BrahMos launchers for the destroyers. For the corvettes, the article expects a smaller four-missile fit because BrahMos is much larger than the Kh-35E. INS Rana is unlikely to be included because it serves as a VLSRSAM testbed.

BrahMos is a supersonic missile system used by the Indian Navy against land and sea targets. The article highlights its extended range, pinpoint accuracy, and supersonic speed. These qualities matter because they give relatively small ships a powerful way to threaten targets far beyond the immediate coastline or ship-to-ship engagement area.

A fire-control system links the ship’s sensors, targeting information, and missile launch process. It helps calculate a firing solution and sends the required commands to the weapon. A launcher physically supports the missiles and releases them in the required direction. The article identifies both systems as the equipment covered by the new contract.

The upgrade changes how older ships use their weapons. Ranvir and Ranvijay already carry stern vertical BrahMos launchers, but the contract is expected to add inclined launchers at the bow. The Veer-class ships are expected to receive a compact four-missile BrahMos arrangement.

The contract covers four ships: two Ranvir-class destroyers and two Veer-class corvettes. The article expects the destroyers to receive four twin-cell inclined launchers each if INS Rajput’s configuration is repeated. That would give each ship eight additional BrahMos missiles in the inclined launchers.

Ranvir and Ranvijay already have eight-cell vertical launch systems for BrahMos. Adding eight inclined missiles to each could therefore give the two destroyers 16 BrahMos missiles altogether. The likely corvette recipients, Prabal and Pralaya, are expected to receive only four missiles each because BrahMos is much larger than the vessels’ existing Kh-35E weapons.

On that likely arrangement, the upgrade involves 24 missiles across four ships: 16 on the destroyers and eight on the corvettes. The figure remains an estimate. The article says the contract specifies two ships of each class, but the exact individual fit was not provided officially.

The Rajput and Veer classes are ageing fleets. India’s five Kashin-class destroyers entered service between 1980 and 1987, while the Indian-built Veer-class vessels entered service from 1990 to 2002. The article notes that both classes are nearing the end of their service lives, yet the Navy is still investing in BrahMos equipment.

The upgrade lets the Navy add a modern, high-performance missile to ships already available in the fleet. Ranvir and Ranvijay have existing BrahMos vertical launch systems, while older Veer-class ships have used Styx or Kh-35E missiles. Replacing or supplementing those arrangements gives selected vessels a more capable weapon without waiting for entirely new ships.

The article calls the effort noteworthy precisely because of the ships’ age. It also places the decision alongside BrahMos upgrades for Delhi-class destroyers and the planned four-missile fit on new missile corvettes. The result is broader BrahMos distribution across different ship generations.

BrahMos adds a much more powerful strike option to the selected destroyers and corvettes. The article describes the weapon as capable of targeting both land and sea targets from extended ranges. It also emphasizes pinpoint accuracy and supersonic speed, giving the ships a stronger offensive reach than their older missile fits.

The destroyers would combine existing stern vertical launch systems with new inclined launchers, if the projected configuration is followed. That could give Ranvir and Ranvijay 16 BrahMos missiles together. The Veer-class ships would probably receive four missiles each because the weapon is much larger than the Kh-35E missiles they currently carry.

This capability makes the upgrade notable even though the ships are old. The Veer class would become the lightest vessel equipped with the three-ton missile, according to the article. The same four-missile loadout is planned for six Next Generation Missile Corvettes under construction.

A vertical-launch system stores missiles upright in cells and sends them upward before the missile turns toward its assigned course. This arrangement is compact and can support launches in different directions. The article identifies eight-cell vertical systems at the stern of Ranvir and Ranvijay for BrahMos missiles.

An inclined launcher holds its missile at an angle, usually pointing it away from the ship toward the expected threat or target sector. It releases the weapon along that initial direction. The article says Ranvir-class ships retain inclined Styx launchers at the bow, while the new contract is expected to cover inclined BrahMos launchers.

The difference is visible in the ships’ layouts. Vertical BrahMos cells sit at the stern on Ranvir and Ranvijay. Inclined launchers sit at the bow and are being considered for both destroyers and Veer-class corvettes. The two systems therefore use different launch positions and firing geometries.

Fast, long-range anti-ship missiles matter because they allow a warship to attack from farther away and reduce the time available for a target to respond. That gives a ship greater reach without requiring it to close the distance. The article specifically links BrahMos with extended-range attacks, pinpoint accuracy, and supersonic speed.

BrahMos can engage both sea and land targets, so its value extends beyond ship-versus-ship combat. On the upgraded destroyers, vertical and inclined launchers provide different ways to carry and release the weapon. On the smaller Veer-class corvettes, even four missiles would add a major strike capability relative to their size.

The Navy’s wider procurement pattern shows the importance it places on the system. BrahMos is being added to older Delhi-class destroyers, selected Rajput-class ships, and planned Next Generation Missile Corvettes. Export agreements with the Philippines, Vietnam, and Indonesia also point to continuing demand for the weapon.