Long Range Anti-Ship Hyper sonic Missile (LR-AShM)
Context:
The Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) will showcase its cutting-edge Long Range Anti-Ship Hypersonic Missile (LR-AShM) for the first time at the 77th Republic Day parade and "Bharat Parv 2026."
Key Features & Capabilities:
The missile utilizes advanced scramjet propulsion technology.
It is reportedly capable of reaching speeds up to Mach 10.
This represents a significant leap over existing supersonic missiles like the BrahMos (Mach 2.8–3).
It is designed to neutralize high-value maritime assets, such as aircraft carriers and heavily defended warships.
Hypersonic Glide Vehicle:
It has a quasi-ballistic trajectory, where after re-entry (after a short downrange), the missile uses it's lifting surface (and cylindrical geometry) to glide at hypersonic velocities for a long period, before it's terminal maneuvers and the striking the target ship.
This can probably be characterized as the hypersonic boost glide trajectory.
The mid-course of such missiles is therefore not a ballistic path in outer space, but instead a hypersonic glide within the atmosphere.
These cannot be detected from far away by surface radars (and can't be intercepted easily due to their speeds).
Exo-atmospheric interceptors are thus useless against such targets.
The development positions India among a select group of nations capable of deploying hypersonic maritime strike capabilities, bolstering the operational range and lethality of both the Indian Navy and Indian Air Force.
Launch Platforms:
Indian Air Force’s Su-30MKI and future AMCA (Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft)
Indian Navy’s P-8I Poseidon maritime patrol aircraft
Vertical launch from warships and possibly future submarines.