India’s defence inches closer to hypersonic tech
Successful test marks first step in acquiring technology only US, Russia, China have
NEW DELHI: India on Monday took the first steps towards developing a new class of ultramodern weapons that can travel six times faster than the speed of sound (Mach 6) and penetrate any missile defence, with the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) carrying out a successful flight test of the hypersonic technology demonstrator vehicle (HSTDV) for the first time from a launch facility off the Odisha coast.
Only the United States, Russia and China have developed technologies to field fast-manoeuvring hypersonic missiles that fly at lower altitudes and are extremely hard to track and intercept. Mach 6 translates into a speed of 7,408 kmph.
India could develop hypersonic cruise missiles powered by air-breathing scramjet engines in about four years, a top government officer said on condition of anonymity.
“The DRDO has successfully demonstrated the hypersonic air-breathing scramjet technology with the flight test of HSTDV at 1103 hours from Dr APJ Abdul Kalam launch complex at Wheeler Island off the coast of Odisha on Monday,” the defence ministry statement said.
An improvement over the ramjet technology, the scramjet engine operates efficiently at hypersonic speeds and allows supersonic combustion. Hypersonic missiles travel at speeds in excess of Mach 5.
Experts say that such vehicles are launched on rockets before they detach and move towards their target in the upper atmosphere. They can be steered to add unpredictability in an attack and because they follow a flat and low trajectory, it is hard to detect them early with radar.
“Congratulations to DRDO India for successful flight of the Hypersonic Test Demonstration Vehicle today. The scramjet engine developed by our scientists helped the flight achieve a speed 6 times the speed of sound! Very few countries have such capability today,” Prime Minister Narendra Modi tweeted.
The hypersonic cruise vehicle was launched using a proven solid rocket motor that took it to an altitude of 30km, where the aerodynamic heat shields were separated at a hypersonic Mach number, the statement said.
“The cruise vehicle separated from the launch vehicle and the air intake opened as planned. The hypersonic combustion sustained and the cruise vehicle continued on its desired flight path at a velocity of six times the speed of sound or nearly 2 km/ second for more than 20 seconds,” the statement said.
India on Monday successfully flight-tested the indigenously developed hypersonic technology demonstrator vehicle that is expected to power long-range missile systems.
WHY IS THE SUCCESSFUL FLIGHT TEST OF THE VEHICLE SIGNIFICANT?
It paves the way for India to develop hypersonic weapons that can travel six times faster than the speed of sound (Mach 6).
The weapon will be integrated into the hypersonic vehicle.
WHICH OTHER COUNTRIES HAVE DEVELOPED HYPERSONIC TECHNOLOGY?
Only the US, Russia and China have developed technologies to field hypersonic weapons that fly at lower altitudes and are extremely hard to track and intercept. India could develop hypersonic missiles in four years.
WHAT WILL THE DEVELOPMENT OF HYPERSONIC MISSILES ENTAIL?
In Monday’s test, the cruise vehicle continued on its flight path at March 6 speeds or nearly 2 km/second for more than 20 seconds. The next challenge for India will be to ensure the cruise vehicle can travel at those speeds for a few hundred seconds for the weapon to strike its target.
WHAT ARE THE MAIN CHALLENGES FOR HYPERSONIC FLIGHTS?
Extremely high temperatures and aerodynamic forces make hypersonic flights tricky. The successful flight test proved several critical technologies including aerodynamic configuration for hypersonic maneuvers, use of scramjet propulsion for ignition and separation mechanism at speeds in excess of Mach 6.
WHY ARE HYPERSONIC VEHICLES POWERED BY SCRAMJET ENGINES?
An improvement over the ramjet technology, the scramjet engine operates efficiently at hypersonic speeds and allows supersonic combustion. Ramjet engines are efficient at supersonic speeds of around Mach 3 but their performance drops when the vehicle hits hypersonic speeds.