Latest news with #ExtendedTrajectoryLongDurationHypersonicCruiseMissile
Economic Times
4 days ago
- Science
- Economic Times
India testing a missile that flies at eight times the speed of sound, hits targets 1,500 km away
Hypersonic capabilities mark a strategic leap Designed for stealth, precision, and flexibility Live Events Built for extreme conditions (You can now subscribe to our (You can now subscribe to our Economic Times WhatsApp channel India has reportedly tested a new hypersonic missile that can travel at eight times the speed of sound and strike targets as far as 1,500 kilometres away. The Extended Trajectory Long Duration Hypersonic Cruise Missile ( ET-LDHCM ), developed under the Defence Research and Development Organisation 's (DRDO) Project Vishnu , significantly outpaces and outdistances the current BrahMos cruise test comes amid growing global tensions, including the Israel-Iran conflict and worsening India-Pakistan relations. With Turkey increasingly aligning with Pakistan, India is accelerating its defence modernisation. This includes upgrades across the missile programme, such as BrahMos, Agni-5, and Akash ET-LDHCM is powered by a scramjet engine that uses air-breathing propulsion, relying on atmospheric oxygen rather than a traditional rotating compressor. This allows the missile to reach Mach 8, or roughly 11,000 km/h, compared to BrahMos' Mach 3 speed of about 3,675 km/ range also marks a leap from BrahMos' original 290 km, later extended to around 450 km, to a new capability of 1,500 km. This combination of speed and extended reach enhances India's strategic strike missile can carry a payload of 1,000 to 2,000 kilograms and is designed to deliver both conventional and nuclear warheads. Its low-altitude flight capability helps it avoid radar detection, while its high targeting precision allows it to strike critical infrastructure in difficult ET-LDHCM can be launched from land, sea, or air platforms. Its ability to alter its path mid-flight gives it adaptability in dynamic battlefield missile is engineered to handle extreme thermal stress, with performance stability maintained at temperatures up to 2,000°C during hypersonic travel. This capability is critical for sustained speed and present, only Russia, the United States, and China have operational hypersonic cruise missile technology . If India's ET-LDHCM test proves successful, it would join this small group of nations with indigenous hypersonic aim with the ET-LDHCM is to strengthen its deterrence strategy, particularly in relation to Pakistan, while countering China's growing influence in the Indo-Pacific.
Time of India
5 days ago
- Business
- Time of India
Why India's new hypersonic missile may outrun Israel's Iron Dome and Russia's S-500 and shift the balance in Asia
India has made a quiet but bold leap in missile technology. The Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) has tested what it calls the country's most advanced missile system to date: the Extended Trajectory Long Duration Hypersonic Cruise Missile ( ET-LDHCM ). Unlike the BrahMos, Agni-5 or Akash, this one goes further and faster. It was built under Project Vishnu , a classified programme meant to develop next-generation hypersonic weapons. Defence officials confirmed the missile can hit targets up to 1,500 km away at Mach 8. By comparison, the original BrahMos started with a range of 290 km. Explore courses from Top Institutes in Select a Course Category Operations Management Design Thinking Data Analytics healthcare MCA Finance Degree Public Policy others Product Management Data Science MBA Cybersecurity Management CXO Data Science Project Management Others Artificial Intelligence Leadership Healthcare Technology PGDM Digital Marketing Skills you'll gain: Quality Management & Lean Six Sigma Analytical Tools Supply Chain Management & Strategies Service Operations Management Duration: 10 Months IIM Lucknow IIML Executive Programme in Strategic Operations Management & Supply Chain Analytics Starts on Jan 27, 2024 Get Details The heart of the missile: Scramjet engine A key part of the ET-LDHCM's power comes from its scramjet engine . Unlike older engines that carry oxidisers on board, the scramjet uses oxygen from the atmosphere. This keeps the missile lighter and lets it maintain high speeds for longer. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Only 2% Traders Know this Powerful Intraday Strategy thefutureuniversity Learn More Undo In November 2024, DRDO ran a 1,000-second ground test of this scramjet, proving it could handle the extreme heat and speed. The missile can withstand temperatures up to 2,000 degrees Celsius, critical when you're tearing through the sky at nearly 11,000 km per hour. Ready for any platform Flexibility is part of the plan. The ET-LDHCM can be launched from land, ships or aircraft. This makes it useful for all branches of India's military. It can carry conventional or nuclear warheads weighing up to 2,000 kg. Because it flies at low altitudes, it stays harder to detect and intercept. Live Events Analysts say the missile's in-flight manoeuvrability is what sets it apart. It can adjust its course mid-air, something that makes life difficult for modern air defence systems. A message beyond borders India's timing is telling. The test comes as the region faces fresh friction. Russia and Ukraine remain locked in conflict. Israel and Iran are trading threats. Relations with China and Pakistan remain tense. Defence analysts suggest this missile could shift power balances in South Asia. It puts India alongside the United States, Russia and China — countries that have already fielded indigenous hypersonic missiles. Project Vishnu: Quiet but ambitious Project Vishnu is DRDO's biggest bet yet on hypersonic systems. It plans to deliver twelve different weapons, from offensive missiles to interceptors that can knock incoming threats out of the sky. In the words of a senior DRDO scientist: 'The first scramjet test in November 2024 ran for 1,000 seconds. That showed the engine could do what we needed.' Missiles like the ET-LDHCM are only the start. Hypersonic glide vehicles are expected to join service by 2027 or 2028. Full operational use of the ET-LDHCM could come by 2030. Made in India, built to last One thing sets this missile apart. It was designed and built entirely with home-grown technology. Small and medium enterprises and private contractors played a key part. This feeds into India's push for self-reliance under its defence manufacturing policy. Materials science has played its part too. Heat-resistant coatings, co-developed by DRDO and the Department of Science and Technology, keep the missile structurally sound in searing conditions. The same coatings protect it against oxidation for naval operations. With the ET-LDHCM, India is saying it's ready for new challenges. It can now match or outpace some of the world's top-tier missile systems. The country cuts reliance on imports, builds local know-how and signals it's not standing still as regional security shifts. As a defence analyst put it: 'This missile could be a tipping point for South Asian military dynamics. Its speed and survivability change the game.' The test flight might have been quiet. Its message is not.
News18
6 days ago
- Science
- News18
Faster Than BrahMos, Deadlier Than Agni: How India's New Hypersonic Missile Changes The Game
India's DRDO has developed the ET-LDHCM, a hypersonic missile under Project Vishnu, capable of Mach 8 speeds and a 1,500 km range India has quietly pulled off a major breakthrough in missile technology with the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) having developed what is now being called the country's most advanced missile system, the Extended Trajectory Long Duration Hypersonic Cruise Missile (ET-LDHCM). This new missile doesn't just outperform existing defence systems like BrahMos, Agni-5, and Akash but changes the game entirely. The ET-LDHCM, developed under the highly classified Project Vishnu, is capable of flying at Mach 8, eight times the speed of sound, and can strike targets up to 1,500 km away. That's nearly three times faster and more than three times the range of the original BrahMos missile. While BrahMos started with a range of 290 km and now stretches to 450 km, the ET-LDHCM enters an entirely different category of weaponry, combining speed, stealth, and long-range precision. What makes this missile particularly better is its use of a scramjet engine, a propulsion system that uses atmospheric oxygen and doesn't rely on rotating compressors like traditional engines. This allows the missile to maintain hypersonic speeds for longer durations. It can also carry conventional or nuclear warheads weighing between 1,000 to 2,000 kg, and fly at low altitudes, making it tough to detect and intercept. The ET-LDHCM is maneuverable in-flight, giving it an edge over many existing ballistic and cruise missile systems. It's also built to withstand temperatures up to 2,000 degrees Celsius, ensuring its structural integrity at hypersonic speeds. The missile is multi-platform compatible, it can be launched from land, sea, or air, making it a flexible weapon suited for targeting command centres, radar systems, naval fleets, or hardened underground bunkers. Its capabilities are so advanced that analysts say it could challenge high-end defence systems like Russia's S-500 or Israel's Iron Dome. India's test comes amid high geopolitical friction – the Russia-Ukraine war, Israel-Iran tensions, and strained relations with China and Pakistan. The ET-LDHCM test places India in an elite group of nations alongside the United States, Russia, and China, with indigenous hypersonic missile capability. What Is Project Vishnu? Project Vishnu is DRDO's most ambitious hypersonic weapons programme to date. It involves the development of 12 distinct hypersonic systems, including both offensive missiles and interceptors capable of taking down incoming threats mid-air. The first successful scramjet engine test under this project was conducted in November 2024, where the engine ran for 1,000 seconds, establishing proof of concept. The ET-LDHCM is the first major missile to emerge from this programme. Notably, the missile has been entirely developed using indigenous technology, with significant input from MSMEs and private defence contractors. This not only strengthens self-reliance under the country's defence manufacturing policy but also boosts local innovation and employment. Defence analysts are calling ET-LDHCM a potential tipping point in South Asian military dynamics. It could alter the strategic balance with China in the Indo-Pacific and enhance deterrence against Pakistan, especially given its speed and survivability against interception. view comments Disclaimer: Comments reflect users' views, not News18's. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
India.com
6 days ago
- Science
- India.com
India tests new multi-feature hypersonic missile that can fly at incredible speed of..., name is...
(Representational image/AP) New Delhi: India has tested a missile called ET-LDHCM. It is a new hypersonic missile that can travel at Mach 8 (9878 km/h) and strike targets 1,500 kilometres away. This new hypersonic ET-LDHCM missile has been developed by DRDO. This test is part of India's pursuit of modern and better weapons. The new missile is designed for stealth, precision, and flexibility. What's unique about this missile? The Extended Trajectory Long Duration Hypersonic Cruise Missile (ET-LDHCM) significantly outperforms and beats the BrahMos cruise missile. India has tested this missile as major conflicts are going on in the world including Russia-Ukraine war and Israel-Iran conflict. Also, India and Pakistan were engaged in fierce military conflict during Operation Sindoor in which Turkey and China were on the enemy's side. Apart from this defence modernisation, India is enhancing the missile systems such as BrahMos, Agni-5, and Akash. India's hypersonic capabilities take huge stride The ET-LDHCM is powered by a scramjet engine that uses air-breathing propulsion, relying on atmospheric oxygen rather than a traditional rotating compressor. This allows the missile to reach Mach 8 (9878 km/h) compared to BrahMos' Mach 3 speed (3705 km/h). This system has a much longer range than BrahMos' 450 km. it can strike as far as 1,500 km. This combination of speed and extended reach enhances India's strategic strike range. Designed for stealth, precision, and flexibility The ET-LDHCM hypersonic missile can be launched from land, sea, and air and its ability to alter its path mid-flight gives it adaptability in dynamic battlefield conditions. It can carry a payload of 1,000 to 2,000 kilograms and is designed to deliver both conventional and nuclear warheads. Its low-altitude flight capability helps it avoid radar detection, while its high targeting precision allows it to strike critical infrastructure in difficult terrains. Designed to work in extreme conditions The missile is designed to endure extreme thermal stress, with performance stability maintained at temperatures up to 2,000°C during hypersonic travel. This capability provides sustained speed and accuracy. Currently, only Russia, the United States, and China have operational hypersonic cruise missile technology. If India's ET-LDHCM test proves successful, it would join this small and elite group of nations with indigenous hypersonic weapon systems.
Time of India
7 days ago
- Politics
- Time of India
India testing a missile that flies at eight times the speed of sound, hits targets 1,500 km away
India has tested a new hypersonic missile. The missile is called ET-LDHCM. It can travel eight times the speed of sound. It can strike targets 1,500 kilometres away. The missile was developed by DRDO. This test comes amid global tensions. India is accelerating its defence modernisation. The missile is designed for stealth, precision, and flexibility. Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads Hypersonic capabilities mark a strategic leap Designed for stealth, precision, and flexibility Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads Built for extreme conditions India has reportedly tested a new hypersonic missile that can travel at eight times the speed of sound and strike targets as far as 1,500 kilometres away. The Extended Trajectory Long Duration Hypersonic Cruise Missile ( ET-LDHCM ), developed under the Defence Research and Development Organisation 's (DRDO) Project Vishnu , significantly outpaces and outdistances the current BrahMos cruise test comes amid growing global tensions, including the Israel-Iran conflict and worsening India-Pakistan relations. With Turkey increasingly aligning with Pakistan, India is accelerating its defence modernisation. This includes upgrades across the missile programme, such as BrahMos, Agni-5, and Akash ET-LDHCM is powered by a scramjet engine that uses air-breathing propulsion, relying on atmospheric oxygen rather than a traditional rotating compressor. This allows the missile to reach Mach 8, or roughly 11,000 km/h, compared to BrahMos' Mach 3 speed of about 3,675 km/ range also marks a leap from BrahMos' original 290 km, later extended to around 450 km, to a new capability of 1,500 km. This combination of speed and extended reach enhances India's strategic strike missile can carry a payload of 1,000 to 2,000 kilograms and is designed to deliver both conventional and nuclear warheads. Its low-altitude flight capability helps it avoid radar detection, while its high targeting precision allows it to strike critical infrastructure in difficult ET-LDHCM can be launched from land, sea, or air platforms. Its ability to alter its path mid-flight gives it adaptability in dynamic battlefield missile is engineered to handle extreme thermal stress, with performance stability maintained at temperatures up to 2,000°C during hypersonic travel. This capability is critical for sustained speed and present, only Russia, the United States, and China have operational hypersonic cruise missile technology . If India's ET-LDHCM test proves successful, it would join this small group of nations with indigenous hypersonic aim with the ET-LDHCM is to strengthen its deterrence strategy, particularly in relation to Pakistan, while countering China's growing influence in the Indo-Pacific.
