India has successfully tested its first long-range hypersonic missile, which was developed by the country’s Defence Research and Development Organization (DRDO).
A press release by the Ministry of Defence stated that the missile, test-fired on 16 November from the eastern state of Odisha, is designed to carry various payloads for ranges greater than 1,500 km for the Armed Forces. It also said that the missile was tracked and flight data received, which confirmed the successful terminal maneuvers and impact with a high degree of accuracy.
However, defense observers noticed a small technical snag in the launch, despite which the missile continued and completed its test flight successfully.
According to the Indian Defence Research Wing (IDRW) news portal, “the trial appeared to encounter a funny technical anomaly”.
“The canister cap, designed to protect the missile during storage and transportation, remained attached to the missile’s pointed nose after the cold launch from the canister system. Despite this unexpected occurrence, the missile successfully took flight and continued for several minutes, showcasing the robustness of its propulsion system,” IDRW said in an article published on its website.
The critical component canister cap is designed to detach cleanly upon launch. An attached cap can potentially affect the aerodynamics of a hypersonic missile, flight stability, and targeting accuracy.
The DRDO has not yet clarified whether the technical snag influenced the missile’s overall performance during the test. It is also not clear whether this snag appeared due to mechanical malfunction, material failure, or operational oversight, IDRW noted.
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. This is a historic moment and this significant achievement has put our country in the group of select nations… pic.twitter.com/jZzdTwIF6w
— Rajnath Singh (@rajnathsingh) November 17, 2024
However, despite the technical snag, the flight trial remains a notable achievement for India.
Hypersonic missiles are a new class of weapons, not only improving a nation’s offensive capabilities but also strengthening its credibility of nuclear deterrence.
Especially for nuclear-armed nations, hypersonic missiles offer an additional layer of security by ensuring that their nuclear weapons remain viable even in the face of advanced defense systems. The ability of these missiles to change course mid-flight and fly at extreme speeds makes them a strategic asset that could potentially overwhelm or avoid interception.
The development of hypersonic missiles is a technical challenge due to the extreme conditions they face during flight. The hypersonic speed generates intense heat due to atmospheric friction, requiring advanced materials capable of withstanding these temperatures. Also, the propulsion systems need to operate efficiently at extreme velocities, further complicating the engineering.
The guidance systems also need to be precise, relying on advanced inertial navigation and possibly even artificial intelligence to adjust the missile’s course in real-time.
According to Bharat Karnad, Senior Fellow in National Security Studies at New Delhi-based Centre for Policy Research, India needs to speed up the hypersonic development of FOBS (Fractional Orbital Bombardment Systems).
Congratulations Incredible Bharat 🇮🇳
— अखंड-भारत (@Gpyadav315) November 17, 2024
Successfully tested its long range hypersonic missile.
We Are Proud of Powerfull India ❣️
Jai Hind Jai Bharat 🇮🇳 pic.twitter.com/gzW8R7mACd
Hypersonic missiles are among the most advanced technologies in modern warfare, as they are extremely difficult to track and intercept.
“The Chinese ‘Long March’ missile operates on FOBS mode. The warhead in FOBS is released in space for re-entry to hit a target, which is impossible for any system to track,” notes Karnad. “That’s the system the Indian hypersonics require to transition to fast. It will make the Indian hypersonic FOBS a truly frightening piece of weaponry.”
Meanwhile, Defence Minister noted the significance of the hypersonic missile test launch by calling it a “major milestone”.
In a post on X, Singh said that this achievement “has put our country in the group of select nations having capabilities of such critical and advanced military technologies.”
The global arms race for hypersonic missiles has India added to the exclusive bunch of countries in the hypersonic missile club, with only the US, Russia, and China as its members so far. Russia and China have made significant progress in developing their own hypersonic missiles, while the US is in the process of developing a range of hypersonic weapons.
India started its pursuit of hypersonic missiles in 2007, under Dr APJ Abdul Kalam. Since 2019, the DRDO conducted multiple tests of hypersonic technology demonstrator vehicles (HSTDV).
Many other countries are also pursuing projects to build hypersonic missiles, including France, Germany, Japan, Iran, and Israel.
