Long Range Hypersonic Missile

Recently, India’s DRDO successfully conducted the maiden flight test of its long-range hypersonic missile off the coast of Odisha, marking a significant milestone in the nation’s advanced defence capabilities. The missile, with a range of over 1,500 km, highlights India’s growing defense capabilities.

About Long-Range Hypersonic Missile

Indigenous Development: Developed by DRDO with contributions from the Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam Missile Complex, Hyderabad, and various other DRDO labs and industry partners.
Strategic Importance: With high speed and maneuverability, the missile enhances India’s defense capabilities, enabling precise strikes and bypassing conventional missile defense systems.
Global Advancements: Countries like Russia, China, the U.S., India, France, Japan, and Australia are advancing hypersonic missile technologies to bolster their military strength.
Successful Trial: Successfully tracked using multiple monitoring systems, confirming its terminal maneuvers and accurate impact.
Applications: Designed for use across India’s Army, Navy, and Air Force, with a naval version in development to target enemy warships at long distances.

It is an advanced weapon system capable of travelling at speeds five times the speed of sound. Their range typically varies between 6,125 km/h (Mach 5) and about 24,140 km/h (Mach 20).
Unlike ballistic missiles, hypersonic missiles are highly manoeuvrable, allowing them to change their flight path and precisely target specific locations.
They can carry conventional or nuclear warheads, making them versatile for different types of missions.
US, Russia, China and India are at the forefront of hypersonic missile development. Other countries like France, Germany, Japan, & Australia also work on hypersonic weapons technology.

Hypersonic Glide Vehicles (HGVs): Launched like a ballistic missile, these glide towards the target after separating from the booster.
Hypersonic Cruise Missiles: These use scramjet engines to sustain hypersonic speeds throughout their flight, flying at lower altitudes and being highly maneuverable.

Responsive Long-Range Strike Capability: Hypersonic missiles can quickly and accurately strike distant, defended, or time-critical targets, such as mobile missile launchers.
Enhanced Penetration: Using only kinetic energy (the energy derived from their high-speed motion), they can destroy unhardened targets and penetrate underground facilities.

Extreme Heat Generation: The speed of the missile generates intense heat, requiring advanced materials to withstand these conditions.
Precise Control & Guidance Systems: Ensuring accuracy at such high speeds requires sophisticated guidance and control mechanisms.
Detection & Tracking: High-speed and unpredictable flight paths complicate tracking and interception.
Effectiveness of Interception Systems: Traditional missile defence systems are not designed to cope with the unique characteristics of hypersonic missiles.

A program aimed at showcasing and advancing hypersonic technologies, including the development of scramjet engines.
Dual Capable Missiles: Development of hypersonic cruise missiles that can carry both conventional and nuclear warheads.

Reference: PMF IAS: Indigenous Defence Technology | Indian Express

Introduction: Briefly mention about India’s successful test-firing of a long-range hypersonic missile.
Body: Discuss the significance of long-range hypersonic missiles and the key challenges.
Conclusion: Conclude with highlighting it’s importance in promoting regional stability and peace.