This article is published in Aerospace Daily & Defense Report part of Aviation Week Intelligence Network (AWIN), and is complimentary through Nov 25, 2024. For information on becoming an AWIN Member to access more content like this, click here.
India tested a hypersonic missile on Nov. 16 from Dr APJ Abdul Kalam Island off the coast of Odisha state on the east coast.
India tested a long-range, hypersonic missile late Nov. 16 off the country’s eastern coast, calling the flight trial a “historic achievement,” the press information bureau in Delhi said.
The statement revealed the previously unannounced program, which seeks to add a new capability to the Indian military’s arsenal.
“This hypersonic missile is designed to carry various payloads for ranges greater than 1,500 km for the Armed Forces,” the bureau’s statement said.
India did not release the program’s name.
Photos and video showed the missile staged from a transporter-erector-launcher vehicle. An apparent cold-gas technique launched the missile from the tube, then the first stage fired. The missile also appears to have at least one upper stage flanked by four mid-body strakes. It was not clear if the missile carried a standard reentry vehicle or a glide vehicle. The design also features a nose cap stationed on a probe on top of the missile.
“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,” Indian Defense Minister Rajnath Singh said.
The Defense Research and Development Organization manages the hypersonic missile program.
India already fields versions of the Agni missile that are capable of reaching hypersonic speeds on a ballistic trajectory. The new missile likely introduces an ability to maneuver during the terminal or glide phases of a flight, complicating the tasks of detecting, tracking and intercepting the weapon for a defender.
Related Content
