The Armed Forces can use this missile to travel more than 1,500 kilometers and carry a variety of payloads.
New Delhi: On November 16, 2024, the Defence Research and Development Organization (DRDO) successfully launched India's first long-range hypersonic missile from Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam Island, off the coast of Odisha, according to PIB New Delhi. The Armed Forces can use this missile to travel more than 1,500 kilometers and carry a variety of payloads.The missile was tracked by multiple systems in various locations. The missile executed its last turns successfully and struck the target with high accuracy, according to data from ships positioned downrange.
The Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam Missile Complex at Hyderabad's laboratories, along with other DRDO labs and industrial partners, developed the missile in India. The flight test was conducted in the presence of senior DRDO scientists and Armed Forces officers.
Defense Minister Rajnath Singh described the missile launch as a historic accomplishment in a post on X, putting India among the select few countries possessing such cutting-edge military capabilities. He commended industry partners, the Armed Forces, and DRDO for the successful test.
The DRDO chairman and secretary of the Department of Defence R&D, Dr. Samir V. Kamat, commended the DRDO team for their proactive contribution to the mission's success.
Hypersonic weapons: what are they?
Weapons that can move five times faster than sound are known as hypersonic missiles. Accordingly, their top speeds range from 6,100 km/h (Mach 5) to 24,140 km/h (Mach 20). They are exceptionally sophisticated and potent weapons because of their tremendous speeds, which make them very difficult to detect and stop.
Hypersonic weapons: what are they?
Weapons that can move five times faster than sound are known as hypersonic missiles. Accordingly, their top speeds range from 6,100 km/h (Mach 5) to 24,140 km/h (Mach 20). They are exceptionally sophisticated and potent weapons because of their tremendous speeds, which make them very difficult to detect and stop.
Which types of hypersonic weapons are there?
Hypersonic Glide Vehicles (HGV) and Hypersonic Cruise Missiles (HCM) are the two primary categories of hypersonic weapons.
A rocket is used to launch hypersonic glide vehicles. The glide vehicle separates from the rocket and moves toward its target at Mach 5 or higher.
Scramjet engines power hypersonic cruise missiles. Air-breathing engines called scramjets are made to reach speeds higher than Mach 5, which is more than 6,100 km/h (3,800 mph). They enable high-speed, long-range flying by compressing incoming air and burning fuel at supersonic speeds, sometimes known as Mach 1 (faster than the speed of sound). These missiles are quick, agile, and challenging to intercept.
Hypersonic Glide Vehicles (HGV) and Hypersonic Cruise Missiles (HCM) are the two primary categories of hypersonic weapons.
A rocket is used to launch hypersonic glide vehicles. The glide vehicle separates from the rocket and moves toward its target at Mach 5 or higher.
Scramjet engines power hypersonic cruise missiles. Air-breathing engines called scramjets are made to reach speeds higher than Mach 5, which is more than 6,100 km/h (3,800 mph). They enable high-speed, long-range flying by compressing incoming air and burning fuel at supersonic speeds, sometimes known as Mach 1 (faster than the speed of sound). These missiles are quick, agile, and challenging to intercept.
What do they mean?
Launching highly agile weapons at hypersonic speeds gives any nation a major edge because these weapons can avoid practically all current defense systems.
According to VOA News, General John Hyten, the former vice chairman of the U.S. Joint Chiefs of Staff, stated in a January 2020 address in Washington that "you can't defend against the threat if you can't see it."
"We don't have any defense systems that can stop these weapons from being used against us," stated General Hyten, who was the head of U.S. Strategic Command at the time, in 2018. Our capacity to dissuade them is our sole line of defense.
Launching highly agile weapons at hypersonic speeds gives any nation a major edge because these weapons can avoid practically all current defense systems.
According to VOA News, General John Hyten, the former vice chairman of the U.S. Joint Chiefs of Staff, stated in a January 2020 address in Washington that "you can't defend against the threat if you can't see it."
"We don't have any defense systems that can stop these weapons from being used against us," stated General Hyten, who was the head of U.S. Strategic Command at the time, in 2018. Our capacity to dissuade them is our sole line of defense.
What distinguishes ballistic missiles from hypersonic weapons?
Although they have little capacity to alter direction and follow a set path, ballistic missiles can also achieve hypersonic speeds of Mach 5 or more.
Although they have little capacity to alter direction and follow a set path, ballistic missiles can also achieve hypersonic speeds of Mach 5 or more.
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