The Defense Research and Development Organization (DRDO) successfully test-fired a long-range hypersonic missile. It was launched from APJ Abdul Kalam Island off the coast of Odisha, and the test was declared successful after tracking the flight trajectory.
Key Points
- DRDO successfully test-fired a long-range hypersonic missile.
- The launch was done from APJ Abdul Kalam Island in Odisha.
- The missile has a range of over 1500 kilometers.
- Its speed is 6200 kilometers per hour, which is 5 times faster than the speed of sound.
- This missile is capable of attacking the enemy from air, water and land.
- Defense Minister Rajnath Singh described it as a historic achievement and said that it puts India in the group of select countries.
- This test reflects a major achievement in India’s defense capabilities and military technology.
Hypersonic missiles
- Hypersonic refers to speeds that are at least five times faster than the speed of sound (also known as Mach-5). This is a speed of about one mile per second. Another key feature of these missiles is their maneuverability, which makes them different from ballistic missiles. Ballistic missiles follow a fixed path or trajectory.
Types of hypersonic missiles
Hypersonic glide vehicles
- These are launched from rockets and glide to the target.
Hypersonic cruise missiles
- These are powered by air-breathing high-speed engines or ‘scramjets’ and maintain their speed after reaching the target.
Significance
- According to defense equipment maker Lockheed Martin, hypersonic systems are considered a “game-changer” for national security.
Hypersonic missile
- High speed and low trajectory: Hypersonic missiles fly at high speed and low altitude.
- It is almost impossible to catch them with any radar in the world.
- Dodging missile defense system: No missile defense system in the world is capable of shooting them down.
- Ability to carry heavy weapons: These missiles can carry up to 480 kg of nuclear or traditional weapons.
- This is very important for countries possessing nuclear weapons.
- Deadly effect: These are more lethal than subsonic cruise missiles in destroying underground weapon depots.
- Due to high speed, their destructive effect is more.
- Maneuverable technology: Hypersonic missiles are capable of changing their path in the air.
- They can target even moving targets with accuracy, which is very difficult to escape from.
Advantages of Hypersonic Missiles
Long range and fast response
- They can attack time-sensitive targets (such as road-borne mobile missile systems) located at distant and secure locations.
- They become an important option when other means are not available or not possible to use.
Use of kinetic energy only
- These missiles use only the energy generated by their motion to destroy the target, which can also damage underground targets.
Flying at low altitudes
- These missiles fly at lower altitudes than ballistic missiles, making them difficult to track, especially through surface-based radars.
Challenges of Hypersonic Missiles
Engineering and physics difficulties
- Due to such high speed, excessive heat is generated from friction and air resistance.
- They need to be controlled with extreme precision.
Trouble in communication system
- To operate the missile at such high speed, it is challenging to maintain contact between the operator and the decision maker.
High cost
- Their development and manufacture is more expensive than ballistic missiles.
- Status of countries in hypersonic missile development
Russia and China
- Both these countries are at the forefront of this technology.
- Russia used the “Kinzhal” hypersonic missile during the Ukraine conflict in 2022, destroying a large underground warehouse.
America
- The US is also developing several hypersonic weapons under ambitious programs in this field.
- In May 2023, the US Army has awarded a $756 million contract to Lockheed Martin to develop the “Long Range Hypersonic Weapon (LRHW)”.
Other countries
- Australia, India, France, Germany, South Korea, North Korea and Japan are also working on the development of hypersonic weapon technology.