DRDO tests scramjet engine for hypersonic missiles

The Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) has successfully conducted a ground test of scramjet combustor, demonstrating its potential for operational use in hypersonic missiles, the defence ministry said on Tuesday.

Defence Research & Development Laboratory (DRDL), a Hyderabad-based laboratory of DRDO, has taken the initiative in developing a long-duration supersonic combustion ramjet or scramjet-powered hypersonic technology, the ministry said in a statement.

DRDL recently developed these technologies and demonstrated a cutting-edge active cooled scramjet combustor ground test for 120 seconds for the first time in India, it said.

The successful ground test marks a "crucial milestone in developing next-generation hypersonic missiles", the ministry added.

"The ground test of scramjet combustor showcased several notable achievements, demonstrating its potential for operational use in hypersonic vehicles, like successful ignition and stable combustion," the statement said.

Hypersonic missiles are a class of advanced weaponry that travel at speeds greater than Mach 5, ie, five times the speed of sound or more than 5,400 kmph. These advanced weapons have the potential to bypass existing air defence systems and deliver rapid and high-impact strikes, it said.

Several nations including the US, Russia, India and China are actively pursuing hypersonic technology, the ministry said.