Defence Research & Development Laboratory (DRDL), a DRDO laboratory, successfully completed 1000+ seconds of Active-Cooled Scramjet Subscale Combustor ground testing.
- This ground-test is in continuation of the earlier test reported for 120 seconds in January 2025.
- This marks crucial milestone in developing Hypersonic Weapon Technology.
Scramjet (Supersonic Combustion Ramjet) Engine
- It is an advanced air-breathing jet engine, improving on ramjets by enabling efficient hypersonic speeds and allowing supersonic combustion.
- A ramjet uses the vehicle’s forward motion to compress air without a compressor.
- India is the fourth country to demonstrate the flight testing of a Scramjet Engine.
Hypersonic Weapon
- It can travel at Mach-5 or faster, or at least five times the speed of sound and is powered by Air breathing engine.
- It can fly at lower altitudes than ballistic missiles, making them harder to track.
- Types:
- Hypersonic Glide Vehicles (HGV): Launched from a rocket, similar to regular ballistic missiles, before gliding to a target.
- Hypersonic Cruise Missiles (HCM): Powered throughout their flight via Scramjet engines.
