India conducts historic flight test of Hypersonic Missile with a range of 1,500 km

Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) conducted a successful flight-trial of India’s first long-range hypersonic missile from APJ Abdul Kalam Island off the coast of Odisha. This missile has been indigenously developed by DRDO.

About Hypersonic Missiles

Hypersonic missiles are advanced weapon systems capable of travelling at speeds exceeding Mach 5 (five times the speed of sound, approximately 6,125 km/h).
Key Characteristics:
- Speed: Hypersonic missiles travel at speeds of Mach 5 or higher, enabling them to cover vast distances in a fraction of the time compared to traditional missiles.
- Manoeuvrability: Unlike ballistic missiles, which follow a predictable arc, hypersonic missiles can manoeuvre during flight, making them challenging to detect and intercept.
- Trajectory: They fly within the atmosphere (at altitudes of 20-100 km), avoiding traditional ballistic arcs and complicating radar tracking.
Types of Hypersonic Missiles:
- Hypersonic Glide Vehicles (HGVs): HGVs are launched by rockets and glide to their targets at hypersonic speeds.
- Hypersonic Cruise Missiles: They are powered by scramjet engines, maintaining sustained hypersonic speeds throughout their flight.