The Defence Research and Development Laboratory (DRDL), a key laboratory of the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), achieved a major milestone on Saturday in the development of hypersonic missiles. The team successfully conducted an extensive long-duration ground test of its actively cooled full-scale scramjet combustor at the state-of-the-art Scramjet Connect Pipe Test (SCPT) facility in Hyderabad.
The test achieved a run-time of over 1,200 seconds, building on a previous successful test of over 700 seconds conducted in January this year. This achievement positions India at the forefront of advanced aerospace capabilities and emerging war technologies. The scramjet combustor uses indigenously developed liquid hydrocarbon endothermic fuel, high-temperature thermal barrier coating, and advanced manufacturing processes. The ground tests have validated the design of the advanced actively cooled scramjet combustor and the capabilities of the test facility. The combustor was designed and developed by DRDL and produced by industry partners.
Government and Leadership Recognition
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh congratulated DRDO, industry partners, and academia on the successful test. He described the achievement as a solid foundation for the nation's hypersonic cruise missile development programme. DRDO Chairman Samir V Kamat also congratulated the teams involved in the test.
This breakthrough underscores India's growing self-reliance in critical defence technologies and its commitment to developing next-generation hypersonic weapons systems.
