The Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) created history on September 7, 2020 when it successfully test-launched the much-awaited HSTDV (Hypersonic Technology Demonstrator Vehicle). The technology is the basic prototype of India’s next-generation cruise missiles and hypersonic aircrafts. “The DRDO has today successfully flight-tested the Hypersonic Technology Demonstrator Vehicle using the indigenously developed scramjet propulsion system. With this success, all critical technologies are now established to progress to the next phase,” said Defence Minister Rajnath Singh in a statement soon after the execution of the flight.
“DRDO with this mission, has demonstrated capabilities for highly complex technology that will serve as the building block for next-generation hypersonic vehicles in partnership with industry,” an official statement from DRDO endorsed and further validated the test-firing results. The historic flight witnessed India joining the elite league of three other global superpowers (United States of America, Russia and China) which have successfully demonstrated a working scramjet engine-powered hypersonic cruise missile prototype.
A deadly capability in the making
HSTDV will be one of the most devastating tactical-level hypersonic cruise missiles in India’s arsenal when it is commissioned into service with the Indian Armed Forces in the next five years. Powered by an indigenously developed scramjet engine and capable of flying at speeds of up to Mach 12 (14,817 kms an hour), it can evade any kind of current generation antiaircraft and anti-missile systems in the world due to its high-hypersonic terminal velocity.
This story is from the October 2020 edition of Geopolitics.
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This story is from the October 2020 edition of Geopolitics.
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