DRDO Successfully Conducts Flight Trial of India's First Long-Range Hypersonic Missile.

Science and Technology

The Defence Research and Development Organization (DRDO) of India successfully conducted the flight-trial of India's first long-range hypersonic missile off the coast of Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam Island, Odisha.


      - This missile can carry various payloads over 1,500 km, enhancing India's military range. It is developed by DRDO.

      - A hypersonic missile travels at speeds above Mach 5 (five times the speed of sound), roughly a mile per second. Unlike ballistic missiles, they are highly maneuverable, making them difficult to detect and intercept.

      - There are two main types: Hypersonic Glide Vehicles (HGVs), launched by rockets and gliding to the target, and Hypersonic Cruise Missiles (HCMs), powered by air-breathing scramjet engines.

Main Points:-   (i) It has been developed through extensive research in various DRDO laboratories, particularly at the Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam Missile Complex in Hyderabad, Telangana.

      (ii) While Russia and China are leading in hypersonic missile development, the U.S. is also making progress in this field. Other countries like France, Germany, Japan, and Israel are also involved in hypersonic weapon development.


          ____________________________