Hypersonic Missile

Syllabus: GS3/Defence

Context

• The Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) conducted a successful flight test of a long range hypersonic missile.

About

• It is indigenously developed by the laboratories of Dr APJ Abdul Kalam Missile Complex, along with various other DRDO laboratories and Industry Partners.
• Features: 
  • Speed: Greater than Mach 5 (around 6,120 km/h).
  • Range: Over 1500kms.
• This achievement places India among a select group of nations—alongside the United States, Russia, and China—that possess advanced hypersonic technology.
  • France, Germany, Australia, Japan, Iran, and Israel, are also pursuing projects to develop hypersonic missile systems.

Hypersonic Missiles

• The term “Hypersonic” refers to a speed at least five times the speed of sound (also called Mach-5) i.e. around a mile per second. 
• These missiles are also more maneuverable, which allows them to more easily evade air defence systems.
• The two types of hypersonic weapons systems are Hypersonic Glide Vehicles (HGV) and Hypersonic Cruise Missiles.
  • The HGVs are launched from a rocket before gliding to the intended target while HCMs are powered by air-breathing high-speed engines or ‘scramjets’ after acquiring their target.

Types of Missile Systems in India – Ballistic Missiles: Ballistic missiles are designed to deliver a payload (usually a warhead) over long distances using a ballistic trajectory. 1. Short-Range Ballistic Missiles (SRBM) includes Prithvi I, II, III.  2. Medium-Range Ballistic Missiles (MRBM) are Agni-I, II, III, IV, V. 3. Intercontinental Ballistic Missiles (ICBM) is Agni-V. – Cruise Missiles: Cruise missiles are guided missiles that use aerodynamic lift to travel through the atmosphere, typically at subsonic or supersonic speeds. 1. Long-Range Cruise Missile is Nirbhay. 2. BrahMos is a supersonic cruise missile.