India Reaches New Milestone In Hypersonic Missile Development With Scramjet Engine Ground Test

India’s Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) has achieved a critical milestone in its hypersonic weapons program.

The Defence Research & Development Laboratory (DRDL) in Hyderabad successfully conducted a 120-second ground test of an Active Cooled Scramjet Combustor, marking a major advancement for India in long-duration Supersonic Combustion Ramjet (Scramjet) propulsion technology.

Hypersonic missiles, capable of traveling at speeds exceeding Mach 5 (over 5,400 km/hr), are designed to penetrate advanced air defense systems and deliver high-speed precision strikes. At such velocities, these missiles can cover vast distances rapidly, significantly reducing the time available for enemy defense systems to react.

Their combination of speed and manoeuvrability allows them to evade traditional air defence systems, enabling them to deliver precision strikes with minimal risk of interception.

The key to this capability lies in the Supersonic Combustion Ramjet, or Scramjet, engine. Unlike conventional engines, scramjets are air-breathing systems, meaning they draw in atmospheric air to combust fuel. This eliminates the need for onboard oxygen tanks, reducing weight and allowing for a more compact design.

Hypersonic flight imposes extreme thermal and mechanical stress on propulsion systems. To address this, DRDL, in collaboration with the Department of Science & Technology (DST), developed an advanced Thermal Barrier Coating (TBC).

A key enabler of this success was the indigenous development of endothermic scramjet fuel, jointly created by DRDL and industry partners. This fuel, a first in India, offers significant cooling benefits and ensures ease of ignition, meeting stringent DRDL requirements. The manufacturing process for the fuel has been scaled to an industrial level, ensuring readiness for operational use.

This coating is capable of withstanding temperatures exceeding 2,000°F, far beyond the melting point of steel. The coating’s application inside the scramjet engine ensures durability and performance during prolonged high-speed flight.

This comes a little over two months after the DRDO announced the successful test launch of India's first long-range hypersonic missile, capable of delivering payloads over 1,500 km. With the test, India had joined an elite group of nations—including the United States, Russia, and China—developing operational hypersonic systems.