DRDO Achieves Major Breakthrough in Hypersonic Missile Technology

New Delhi: Defence Research and Development Organisation has achieved a significant milestone in hypersonic missile technology with the successful long-duration ground test of an actively cooled full-scale scramjet combustor developed by the Defence Research and Development Laboratory.

The test, conducted on May 9 at the advanced Scramjet Connect Pipe Test (SCPT) Facility in Hyderabad, recorded a run-time of more than 1,200 seconds, marking a major advancement in India’s hypersonic cruise missile development programme. The achievement builds on an earlier successful test of over 700 seconds carried out in January this year.

According to DRDO, the combustor has been indigenously designed and developed by DRDL in collaboration with industry partners. The successful validation places India among a select group of countries possessing advanced hypersonic propulsion capabilities.

The scramjet engine technology uses a cutting-edge supersonic air-breathing propulsion system powered by indigenously developed liquid hydrocarbon endothermic fuel. The system also incorporates advanced thermal barrier coatings capable of withstanding extremely high temperatures, along with sophisticated manufacturing processes.

Officials said the ground tests successfully validated both the design of the actively cooled scramjet combustor and the operational capability of the state-of-the-art testing facility.

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh congratulated DRDO, industry partners and academia on the achievement, describing it as a strong foundation for India’s hypersonic cruise missile programme.

Secretary, Department of Defence R&D and DRDO Chairman Samir V. Kamat also congratulated the scientists and teams associated with the successful test.