India Becomes 4th Country After US, Russia, China To Successfully Test Hypersonic Missile Carrier

¡®In a historic mission today, India successfully flight tested Hypersonic Technology Demonstrator Vehicle (HSTDV)¡¯ DRDO declared on Twitter.

This indigenously-developed HSTDV is powered by a scramjet engine, which will serve as the building block for next-generation hypersonic cruise missiles.

DRDO with this mission, has demonstrated capabilities for highly complex technology that will serve as the building block for NextGen Hypersonic vehicles in partnership with industry.

¡ª DRDO (@DRDO_India) September 7, 2020

DRDO has called this a ¡®giant leap in indigenous defence technologies and significant milestone towards an atmanirbhar Bharat¡¯.

Chairman DRDO congratulated all the scientists, researchers and other personnel related with HSTDV mission for their resolute and unwavering efforts towards strengthening Nation¡¯s defence capabilities.

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Twitter

Defense Minister Rajnath Singh congratulated DRDO scientists for the 'landmark achievement' and said that with the successful HSTDV flight test, using the indigenously developed scramjet propulsion system, all critical technologies have now been established to progress to the next phase.

Successful flight test of Hypersonic Technology Demonstration Vehicle (HSTDV) from Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam Launch Complex at Wheeler Island off the cost of Odisha today. pic.twitter.com/7SstcyLQVo

¡ª ????? ?????? ????????/ RMO India (@DefenceMinIndia) September 7, 2020

The HSTDV test was conducted from the Dr Abdul Kalam Island off the Odisha coast at 11.03 am. It is designed to cruise at Mach 6 speed and it is aimed at ¡®demonstrating autonomous flight of a scramjet integrated vehicle, which can have multiple civilian applications, including launching satellites at a low-cost, as well as military uses in the shape of long-range cruise missiles¡¯, TOI reports.

¡®DRDO with this mission, has demonstrated capabilities for highly complex technology that will serve as the building block for NextGen Hypersonic vehicles in partnership with industry¡¯, DRDO posted on Twitter.

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DRDO today successfully demonstrated the Hypersonic air-breathing scramjet technology with the flight test of Hypersonic Technology Demonstration Vehicle (HSTDV).

Raksha Mantri Shri @rajnathsingh has congratulated Team @DRDO_India for this landmark achievement. pic.twitter.com/WMPhVzvAJx

¡ª ????? ?????? ????????/ RMO India (@DefenceMinIndia) September 7, 2020

Only three other countries - US, Russia and China, have demonstrated this capability till now.

A scramjet engine operates efficiently at hypersonic speeds and allows supersonic combustion in comparison ramjet engine operate well at supersonic speeds around Mach 3 but their efficiency drops at hypersonic speeds.

In June last year, the maiden launch of HSTDV, powered by the solid rocket motor of an Agni ballistic missile, had failed. However, with the recent success, India has joined the top three nations in the hypersonic missile club.