India has joined the elite league of nations after it successfully flight-tested a long-range hypersonic missile off the coast of Odisha.  Russia and China are the two other countries having this capability.

The missile can strike targets at a range of more than 1,500 kms while travelling five times more than the speed of sound and evade most air defence systems.  Hailing the test conducted late Saturday night, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Sunday described it as a “stupendous” achievement and a “historic moment.”

The missile, developed by the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), is designed to carry various payloads for ranges greater than 1,500 km, an official readout said.

“India has achieved a major milestone by successfully conducting flight trial of long range hypersonic missile from Dr APJ Abdul Kalam Island, off-the-coast of Odisha,” Rajnath Singh said in a social media post.

“This is a historic moment and this significant achievement has put our country in the group of select nations having capabilities of such critical and advanced military technologies,” he said.

Generally, the hypersonic missiles, capable of carrying conventional explosives or nuclear warheads, can fly in the range of five times the speed of sound (Mach 5 which is roughly 1,220 km) per hour at sea level.  However, some advanced versions of hypersonic missiles can even fly at the speed of over 15 mach.

At present, Russia and China are way ahead in developing hypersonic missiles while the US is in the process of developing a range of such weapons under an ambitious programme.  Several other countries, including France, Germany, Australia, Japan, Iran and Israel, are also pursuing projects to develop hypersonic-missile systems.

The Defence Ministry said the missile was tracked by various range systems, deployed in multiple domains.  “The flight data obtained from down range ship stations confirmed the successful terminal manoeuvres and impact with high degree of accuracy,” it said in the readout.

This missile has been indigenously developed by the laboratories of the Dr APJ Abdul Kalam Missile complex, Hyderabad along with various other DRDO laboratories and industry partners.

Hypersonic missiles are weapons capable of travelling at speeds five times the speed of sound. Their range typically varies between 6,125 km/h (Mach 5) and about 24,140 km/h (Mach 20). These speeds make them incredibly difficult to detect and intercept.

There are two primary types of hypersonic missiles--Hypersonic Glide Vehicles (HGVs) and Hypersonic Cruise Missiles. HGVs are launched like ballistic missiles using a rocket booster. After reaching a certain altitude, the HGV separates from the booster and glides toward its target, manoeuvring in flight to avoid interception.

Hypersonic Cruise Missiles use scramjet engines to sustain hypersonic speeds throughout their flight, flying at lower altitudes and also possessing manoeuvrability.

The development of hypersonic missiles is a significant achievement for India, as it presents several challenges, including extreme heat generation, precise control and guidance systems, detection and tracking difficulties, and the need for effective interception systems.

Hypersonic missiles have the potential to revolutionise warfare due to their speed, manoeuvrability, and range. They could significantly reduce response times and make traditional missile defence systems less effective.

These missiles are typically launched using rockets. For glide vehicles, the rocket boosts the missile to a high altitude. Once at the desired altitude, the missile accelerates to hypersonic speeds. For cruise missiles, this is achieved using scramjet engines, which compress incoming air before mixing it with fuel to create combustion at supersonic speeds.

Unlike traditional ballistic missiles, hypersonic missiles can manoeuvre during flight. This makes their trajectory unpredictable and complicates interception efforts. Glide vehicles, for instance, use aerodynamic lift to glide toward their targets, while cruise missiles use their engines to maintain speed and direction.

The high speed and manoeuvrability of hypersonic missiles allow them to strike targets with precision. They can carry conventional or nuclear warheads, making them versatile for different types of missions.

The flight-trial was carried out in the presence of senior scientists of DRDO and officers of the armed forces. Chief of DRDO Samir V Kamat congratulated the team of DRDO which has actively contributed to this successful mission.

On November 12, DRDO conducted the maiden flight-test of Long Range Land Attack Cruise Missile (LRLACM) from the Integrated Test Range (ITR) in Chandipur off the coast of Odisha from a mobile articulated launcher.

During this test, all sub-systems performed as per expectation and met the primary mission objectives.  The missile performance was monitored by several range sensors like Radar, Electro Optical Tracking System and telemetry deployed by ITR at different locations to ensure complete coverage of the flight path.

The missile demonstrated its capability to perform various manoeuvres while flying at various altitudes and speeds. The missile is also equipped with advanced avionics and software to ensure better and reliable performance, the release said.

The flight-test of the hypersonic missile comes at a time when India is focusing on bolstering its combat capabilities against the backdrop of China’s aggressive military muscle-flexing. In the last few years, India has been focusing on the development of next-generation weapon systems, such as drones, hypersonic missiles and equipment with the application of artificial intelligence. The DRDO has already developed a range of missiles, including “Prithvi”, “Akash” and “Agni”.