DRDO successfully test Hypersonic missile with Mach 6 speed

India has joined a select group of countries worldwide that have successfully tested long-range hypersonic missiles with a speed of Mach 6( six times the speed of sound)or more. The Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) successfully tested the missile from Dr APJ Abdul Kalam Island off the coast of Odisha on November 16, 2024.

Russia was the first country in the world to use its hypersonic missile Kinzhal against Ukraine in 2022. 

Russia, China, and the United States have also tested hypersonic missiles. Recently, North Korea claimed to have tested one, but this cannot be verified.

France, Japan, Germany, Australia, Iran, and Israel are also pursuing projects to develop hypersonic missile systems.

Range of the DRDO Hypersonic Missile 

The DRDO’s Dr APJ Abdul Kalam Missile Complex, Hyderabad is developing the missile in partnership with laboratories of DRDO and private sector companies.

The missile range is 1500 km.

What is a Hypersonic Missile? 

Hypersonic missiles are a type of ballistic missile with a minimum speed of Mach 5 (about 6,200 kilometres per hour). They are different from supersonic missiles, which are also a type of ballistic missile with a speed of Mach 1 or more.

There are two types of hypersonic missile systems being developed around the world.

• Hypersonic Glide Vehicles (HGV)
• Hypersonic Cruise Missiles (HCM)

Like a ballistic missile mechanism, the Hypersonic Glide Vehicle is launched using a rocket . The rocket reaches the upper atmosphere and then re-enters into Earth’s atmosphere and glides towards the target with a speed up to 27 km per hour.

The Hypersonic Cruise Missile is similar to the Hypersonic Glide vehicle. The difference is that during the re-entry phase, the cruise missile uses the scramjet engine(an air-breathing engine) to hit the target.

Difference between Conventional Ballistic and Hypersonic missile 

• Conventional ballistic missiles have a set flight path and are limited in their ability to change it, making them highly vulnerable to the air defence system.
• The hypersonic missiles are highly maneuverable. It means that they can be easily controlled and have the ability to change their direction in flight (manoeuvrability). Hence, they are difficult for air defence systems to detect and destroy.
• The other difference is the speed. 

Advantage of the Hypersonic Missile 

• They fly at a lower trajectory and have the ability to change trajectory during the flight, making their detection by radars difficult to predict 
• Because they travel at a great speed, it will be difficult for the current air defence system to detect and respond to the incoming hypersonic missile.
• Due to their higher speed and ability to change their trajectory in flight, they will be used as a weapon of first choice to hit deep in enemy territory. 
• This will give the Indian defence force the first-strike capability to take out the enemy's strategic nuclear and conventional assets.

Also Read- DRDO successfully tested its first Long-Range Glide Bomb, Gaurav