DRDO Tests Scramjet Combustor for Hypersonic Missiles: HYDERABAD/NEW DELHI – April 26, 2025 – In a landmark achievement that significantly advances India’s ambitions in next-generation weaponry, the Defence Research & Development Organisation (DRDO) successfully conducted a long-duration test of a critical scramjet engine component, pushing the boundaries of its hypersonic technology development.
Engineers at the Defence Research & Development Laboratory (DRDL), a premier DRDO facility based in Hyderabad, executed a ground test of an actively cooled subscale scramjet combustor for an unprecedented duration exceeding 1,000 seconds on Friday, April 25th. The successful trial, held at a newly inaugurated, state-of-the-art Scramjet Connect Test Facility in Hyderabad, marks a quantum leap from a previous 120-second test conducted just three months prior, in January 2025.
This sustained operation over nearly 17 minutes is a critical validation milestone, demonstrating the robustness and efficiency of the combustor design under prolonged high-stress conditions. It paves the way for integrating the technology into full-scale engines capable of powering future hypersonic cruise missiles.
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Hypersonic Weapons
Hypersonic weapons, capable of travelling at speeds greater than Mach 5 (five times the speed of sound, or over 6,100 kmph), represent a paradigm shift in military capabilities. Their extreme speed, coupled with the ability to maneuver mid-flight, makes them exceptionally difficult to detect and intercept by current air defence systems.
Central to achieving sustained hypersonic flight is the development of advanced air-breathing engines, specifically scramjets (Supersonic Combustion Ramjets). Unlike conventional rockets that carry both fuel and oxidizer, scramjets ingest atmospheric air at supersonic speeds, compress it, mix it with fuel, and achieve combustion while the airflow remains supersonic within the engine. This air-breathing design allows for significantly longer flight durations compared to rocket propulsion, making them ideal for cruise missiles.
India’s DRDO Successfully Conducted Trial of Scramjet Combustor.
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Challenges in Development of Hypersonic Missiles
However, the physics involved present immense engineering challenges. Managing the intense heat generated by air friction at hypersonic speeds and ensuring stable supersonic combustion within the engine for extended periods are formidable hurdles. The successful 1,000-second test specifically demonstrates mastery over the crucial aspect of active cooling within the combustor – the heart of the scramjet engine where fuel mixes with compressed air and ignites. Sustaining controlled combustion at such temperatures and pressures for this duration confirms the viability of DRDO’s design and materials science.
Furthermore, the successful execution of this complex test validates not only the scramjet combustor itself but also the sophisticated capabilities of the new Hyderabad test facility, purpose-built for evaluating such cutting-edge propulsion systems.
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Defence Minister Rajnath Singh lauded the achievement, complimenting DRDO, its industry partners, and academic collaborators. He characterized the success as “a reflection of the Government’s strong commitment in realising critical Hypersonic Weapon Technologies for the nation.” His statement underscores the strategic importance placed on developing indigenous hypersonic capabilities as part of India’s broader push for technological self-reliance (‘Atmanirbhar Bharat’) in defence.
Dr. Samir V Kamat, Secretary of the Department of Defence R&D and Chairman of DRDO, extended his congratulations to the key figures leading the project, including Shri U Raja Babu, Director General (Missiles & Strategic Systems), and Dr. GA Srinivasa Murthy, Director of DRDL, along with the entire team. Dr. Kamat highlighted the demonstration of “supersonic combustion for more than 1,000 seconds involving cutting edge technologies.”
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India’s Hypersonic Missile. (November 17, 2024)
India’s Hypersonic Cruise Missile Development Programme
The achievement is explicitly linked to India’s Hypersonic Cruise Missile Development Programme. While specific details of the program remain classified, this successful test provides a solid technological foundation. It signifies that India is progressing steadily towards mastering the complex propulsion systems required for such advanced missiles, joining a select group of nations actively developing operational hypersonic weapons.
The DRDO emphasized that this milestone was the result of an “integrated effort” involving multiple DRDO laboratories, alongside contributions from Indian industry and academic institutions. This collaborative approach is vital for nurturing the complex ecosystem required for developing and manufacturing such advanced systems domestically.
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Subscale Scramjet Combustor Trial
With the subscale combustor design and the test facility now validated through this demanding long-duration trial, DRDO officials indicated that the “system will be soon ready for full scale flight worthy combustor testing.” This points towards the next critical phases: building and testing a complete, flight-ready scramjet engine, followed by integration into a missile airframe and eventual flight testing.
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While the path to an operational hypersonic cruise missile involves further complex stages of development and testing, this 1,000-second scramjet combustor trial represents a pivotal moment, showcasing India’s growing prowess in aerospace engineering and its determined stride towards acquiring next-generation defence capabilities.
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