Admiral Suni Bal pondered for a moment before asking Mavi, "Mr. Mavi, what is the maximum range of your Russian Navy's Shlyki medium-range shipborne surface-to-air missile?"
Hearing this, Mavi smiled, realizing that the admiral was interested and had a desire to purchase.
"Admiral Suni Bal, our Shlyki surface-to-air missile has a maximum range of 25 kilometers and a minimum range of 3.5 kilometers, with a top speed of 830 meters per second. The system can simultaneously engage six targets and guide 12 missiles at once, with an interception altitude ranging from 15 meters to 15,000 meters..."
Mavi introduced the missile to Admiral Suni Bal with the familiarity of an expert. The Indian naval officers listened intently, fully focused. At that moment, they suddenly recalled their country's failed attempt to develop the domestically produced 'Trishul' surface-to-air missile.
In the end, they had poured money into the project without success, failing to develop the missile. It was a complete loss, both financially and strategically.
"Mr. Mavi, I would love to see the power of your Shlyki surface-to-air missile in action," Admiral Suni Bal said with anticipation.
Mavi nodded and turned to look at Captain Povkin, who was already prepared, signaling him to proceed.
"I now give the order—fire!"
At Colonel Povkin's command, the Shlyki surface-to-air missile, mounted at the rear of the ship, suddenly ignited in a blaze of flames on its single-arm launcher. A burst of thermal energy and white smoke erupted from the missile's tail.
Almost instantly, the missile shot into the sky with lightning speed, leaving behind a trail of white smoke in its wake.
The missile's roar echoed overhead as it sped toward its target—a fast-approaching unmanned drone.
From the moment the missile launched, the ship's radar screen displayed a small green dot representing the missile, moving directly toward a red dot, which indicated the incoming drone. Both dots were on a collision course. At their current speeds, they would meet within five seconds.
"Impact countdown: 5... 4... 3... 2... 1!"
As the deputy captain completed the countdown, the missile struck the drone at an altitude of 5,000 meters with pinpoint accuracy.
A fireball erupted in the sky, though due to the distance, the details of the explosion were difficult to see. However, this did not prevent the Indian naval officers from appreciating and admiring the precision of the Shlyki surface-to-air missile.
"That strike was absolutely perfect, Mr. Mavi!" Admiral Suni Bal clapped enthusiastically. If his fleet could be equipped with such missiles from the Russian Navy, their firepower would significantly improve.
"You flatter us, Admiral Suni Bal. The credit goes to Captain Povkin," Mavi said modestly, ensuring he did not take credit for someone else's achievements—especially in the military, where such matters were of great importance.
"Indeed, your Shlyki surface-to-air missile is impressive! Are there any other weapons onboard that we might see in action?" Admiral Suni Bal asked with keen interest.
"Of course! No problem at all," Mavi replied, nodding at Captain Povkin, signaling that it was time for the most crucial demonstration—launching the 'Moss' supersonic anti-ship cruise missile to destroy a Soviet-class battleship anchored in the distance.
The 'Moss' supersonic anti-ship cruise missile was developed based on Russia's "Yakhont" (SS-N-26) missile. In this alternate reality, it had not been co-developed with India.
The missile featured supersonic speed and multi-trajectory capabilities. Its ability to penetrate defenses, resist electronic countermeasures, and evade missile interceptors was considered "unparalleled" in the world.
The missile measured 8.1 meters in length and 0.67 meters in diameter, with a range of 50 to 350 kilometers. It cruised at an altitude of 14,000 to 15,000 meters and had a speed of Mach 2.5 to Mach 2.8. In its terminal phase, it descended to an altitude of 10 to 15 meters. Its launch weight was 3,000 kilograms.
"Admiral Suni Bal, I am honored to introduce to you the Moss supersonic anti-ship cruise missile, developed by Russia. I invite you to witness its power firsthand," Mavi said as he continued briefing the Indian naval officers.
Meanwhile, Captain Povkin stood ready, gripping his radio, prepared to give the order to launch the supersonic cruise missile.
Admiral Suni Bal listened attentively. Having already witnessed the Shlyki missile's effectiveness, he was now highly interested in seeing the performance of this cruise missile and the damage it could inflict on a battleship.
"Very well, Mr. Mavi. Let me see its power," Admiral Suni Bal said, turning his gaze toward the distant Soviet-class battleship.
At that moment, Captain Povkin issued the command to his crew. "Ignition!"
As soon as the order was given, a long, gray missile suddenly rose vertically from the front deck of the frigate. Measuring over eight meters in length and more than half a meter wide, the missile's tail spewed an immense fireball—several times more intense than the previous surface-to-air missile launch.
The Indian naval officers inside the bridge watched in astonishment as the missile soared into the sky. It tore through the air at supersonic speed, heading straight for the distant battleship.
A massive plume of white smoke engulfed the deck of the frigate. The deafening roar of the missile filled the air above the warship.
The Indian officers tilted their heads upward, watching the cruise missile soar toward its target. Their expressions of shock and admiration did not go unnoticed by Mavi.
From ignition to liftoff, the entire sequence was completed in mere seconds. Only high-speed cameras could capture the details of this breathtaking moment.
The supersonic cruise missile cut a perfect arc through the sky. As it approached the battleship, it suddenly accelerated, diving straight down toward the Soviet-class warship!
In the blink of an eye, before anyone could react, the missile struck the battleship's deck with unerring precision!
Boom!
A terrifying explosion instantly engulfed the entire deck in flames. Intense heat and blazing fire, accompanied by fiery debris, erupted like a volcanic eruption, consuming the battleship.
The massive shockwave from the blast, traveling at thousands of meters per second, slammed into the surrounding structures, causing the enormous Soviet-class battleship to shudder violently!
(End of Chapter)