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India is on the verge of joining an elite group of nations with operational hypersonic missile capabilities, as the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) expects to conclude all trials for its Long-Range Anti-Ship Missile (LRAShM) within the next three years.
The announcement was made by DRDO Chairman Dr. Samir V. Kamat, signalling a major leap in the nation's strategic defence and deterrent posture, particularly concerning maritime threats in the Indian Ocean Region (IOR).
This advanced weapon system, a hypersonic glide vehicle (HGV), is poised to significantly upgrade the strike capabilities of the Indian Armed Forces.
A successful test conducted on November 16, 2024, from Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam Island off the coast of Odisha, has already demonstrated the missile's formidable potential, establishing it as a key future asset for the Indian Army, Navy, and Air Force.
The LRAShM represents a pinnacle of missile technology, engineered to travel at hypersonic speeds, which is more than five times the speed of sound. During its 2024 test, the missile achieved speeds of up to Mach 10, equivalent to approximately 12,144 km/h.
Developed by DRDO's Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam Missile Complex in Hyderabad with support from various labs and private industry partners, the missile's design combines the extreme velocity of a ballistic missile with the low-altitude, unpredictable flight path of a cruise missile.
This allows it to glide through the atmosphere, executing complex maneuvers that make it exceptionally difficult for current air defence systems to detect and intercept.
The technological foundation for this achievement was laid by the successful flight of the Hypersonic Technology Demonstrator Vehicle (HSTDV) in 2020, which validated critical systems like scramjet propulsion and advanced materials capable of withstanding extreme temperatures.
Furthermore, DRDO’s advanced Hypersonic Wind Tunnel in Hyderabad, which can simulate speeds up to Mach 12, has been crucial in perfecting the missile's aerodynamic design.
Primarily designed as a "carrier killer," the LRAShM directly addresses the strategic challenge posed by the growing naval presence of China in the Indian Ocean, which includes its fleet of aircraft carriers.
With a confirmed range exceeding 1,500 kilometres, the missile can strike a moving warship in under eight minutes, providing a swift and decisive response capability.
Its advanced radio frequency (RF) seeker ensures high-precision targeting, making it a powerful complement to the existing supersonic BrahMos and subsonic LRLACM missiles in the Navy's arsenal.
Beyond its naval application, the LRAShM is being developed as a versatile, multi-service weapon.
Land-attack versions of the missile are intended for the Indian Army and Air Force, forming a core component of the proposed Integrated Rocket Force. This will enable the armed forces to target high-value assets, such as command-and-control centres and critical infrastructure, deep within enemy territory.
The missile's capability serves as a direct counter to advanced systems in the region, including China's DF-17 hypersonic missile.
Dr. Kamat's confident timeline for the conclusion of trials underscores the maturity of the program and its readiness for future induction.
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