Big worry for Pakistan, China, Bangladesh, as India’s DRDO develops hypersonic missile system that has ability to…
India Hypersonic Missile: In a major boost for India’s defence capabilities, Defense Research and Development Organization (DRDO) has developed not just one, but three state-of-the-art hypersonic missiles, which spell trouble for rival nations like China, Bangladesh, and Pakistan.
Notably, hypersonic missiles are considered the most advanced variants of missiles in the world today, and even military superpower like the United States struggles to manufacture them in bulk as they very expensive to make and require expertise.
DRDO’s Project Dhvani
DRDO, the country’s premier defense research and development establishment, has developed these advanced hypersonic missiles under its Project Dhvani program.
According to various reports, India’s new Dhvani hypersonic missiles boast a range of over 1,500 kilometers, and can carry both conventional or nuclear warhead payloads. DRDO’s hypersonic technology is completely indigenous, which is a remarkable achievement as it makes India one of handful nations in the world which have indigenous technological ability and resources to build these advanced missiles.
The DRDO is reportedly working on three different variants of the hypersonic missiles under Project Dhvani, and has used a scramjet engine — the same engine which powers the BrahMos-II supersonic cruise missile system.
DRDO’s new hypersonic missiles will be inducted in all three of India’s armed forces — Army, Navy, and Air Force– providing a major boost to their offensive and defensive capabilities.
Trouble for India’s rivals
India’s growing capabilities in developing its homegrown hypersonic missiles are a major challenge for its nations like Pakistan, China, and more recently, Bangladesh, as these missiles are almost impossible to track or intercept even with the most advanced air defense systems. Notably, India had once mistakenly fired a BrahMos supersonic missile towards Pakistan and Islamabad had not been able to track it at the time.
What are hypersonic missiles?
Hypersonic missiles, as the name suggests, can travel at hypersonic speeds of faster than Mach 5, and can reach speeds of up to Mach 25 or 25 times the speed of sound, which is 1,235 km/h. India’s new hypersonic missiles can travel at speeds of around 6,200 km/h or Mach 6 speeds and have the ability to strike enemy targets without being detected by radar.
Hypersonic missiles have several advantages over their less advanced cousins, mainly due to their express speed, which makes them almost impossible to detect and intercept with even the most advanced missile defense systems that are used today. Additionally, hypersonic missiles have the ability to maneuver during flight, making it impossible to predict their flight path. The only drawback is the high development cost and technological complexity required to build these advanced missiles.
