Key BrahMos Designer Alexander Leonov Dies

• By Thetripurapost Desk, Moscow
• Apr 06, 2026
• 748

Alexander Leonov, a leading Russian missile designer and a key figure in the Indo-Russian defence partnership, has passed away at the age of 74.
Leonov served as the CEO and chief designer of NPO Mashinostroyenia (NPOMASH), a crucial partner in the BrahMos missile programme—one of the most successful joint ventures between India and Russia in the field of defence technology.

He was widely respected for his contributions to advanced missile systems, including work on the Zircon hypersonic cruise missile, which represents a new generation of high-speed precision strike weapons.
In addition to BrahMos and Zircon, Leonov played an instrumental role in the development of several major missile and coastal defence systems such as:

Granit missile system
Vulcan missile system
Bastion coastal defence system

His death marks a significant loss to Russia’s defence research community and the broader global missile technology sector, particularly given his long-standing role in strengthening Indo-Russian strategic defence cooperation.