India Conducts Historic Flight Test of Hypersonic Missile

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 hypersonic missile is designed to carry various payloads for ranges greater than 1,500 kms for the Armed Forces.

About Hypersonic Missiles

• Speed: A hypersonic missile is a weapon system which flies at least at the speed of Mach 5 i.e. five times the speed of sound and is manoeuvrable. 
• Manoeuvrability: Unlike ballistic missiles, hypersonic missiles do not follow a ballistic trajectory and can be manoeuvred to the intended target.
• Types: Hypersonic Glide Vehicles (HGV) and Hypersonic Cruise Missiles. 
  • The HGV is launched from a rocket before gliding to the intended target. 
  • The hypersonic cruise missile is powered by air breathing high speed engines or ‘scramjets’ after acquiring their target.
• Advantage: Hypersonic weapons can enable responsive, long range strike options against distant, defended or time critical threats (such as road mobile missiles) when other forces are unavailable, denied access or not preferred.

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• Detectability:
  • These missiles could challenge detection and defence due to their speed, manoeuvrability and low altitude of flight. 
  • Ground based radars or terrestrial radars cannot detect hypersonic missiles until late in the flight of the weapon. 
  • This delayed detection makes it difficult for the responders to the missile attack to assess their options and to attempt to intercept the missiles. 
• Countries possessing: US, Russia and China are in advanced stages of hypersonic missile programmes, India, France, Germany, Japan and Australia too are developing hypersonic weapons.

Classification of Missiles

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Types of Missiles: Based on Trajectory 

Also Read: List of Indian Missiles