Hypersonic Cruise Missile Programme
Context:
The Defence Research & Development Organisation (DRDO) has achieved a milestone in India’s hypersonic missile programme with the successful long-duration ground test of an actively cooled scramjet full-scale combustor.
The successful trial positions India among the global leaders in advanced hypersonic, aerospace technologies.
Key Achievement:
It was a long-duration (over 12 minutes) ground test of a Full-Scale Actively Cooled Scramjet Combustor
The test was conducted at the state-of-the-art Scramjet Connect Pipe Test (SCPT) Facility at the Defence Research & Development Laboratory (DRDL) in Hyderabad.
This significant achievement builds upon the earlier subscale test conducted on April 25, 2025, for long duration, marking a crucial step forward in Hypersonic Missiles development.
Technical Details:
Hypersonic Cruise Missiles are capable of traveling at speeds exceeding Mach 5 (five times the speed of sound), which is over 6,100 km/hr
Scramjet Technology:
The system uses a cutting-edge air-breathing engine that utilizes supersonic combustion to sustain long-duration flight.
Unlike traditional rockets that carry both fuel and oxidizer, scramjets take in oxygen from the atmosphere.
This design makes scramjets lighter and capable of propelling vehicles (or missiles) at speeds over Mach 5 for longer durations
Significance:
This successful trial positions India among the global leaders in advanced hypersonic and aerospace technologies
This achievement serves as a solid foundation for the nation's Hypersonic Cruise Missile Development Program