It's Been A Good Few Days For India's Missile Programme

India has run a fairly successful missile development program for over three decades, but the past few days have been particularly remarkable.

On 12 November, the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) carried out the maiden flight test of the Long-Range Land Attack Cruise Missile (LRLACM). Just four days later, on 16 November, India conducted the first flight test of its long-range hypersonic missile. This marks the first time India has tested two major new missiles within the span of a single week.

While the LRLACM test may not, in itself, represent a major technological breakthrough, it marks a significant milestone in India’s development of an indigenous subsonic cruise missile.

Derived from the Nirbhay subsonic cruise missile program, the LRLACM provides the Indian armed forces with a cost-effective option for large-scale attacks, offering a low-cost alternative for mass launches. It will complement the supersonic BrahMos, which, priced at $5 million per unit, will be reserved for fewer high-value targets.

The LRLACM is designed to be launched from the ground by the Indian Army using a mobile articulated launcher and from frontline ships of the Indian Navy via a Universal Vertical Launch Module (UVLM) system. This system, developed by BrahMos Aerospace, the maker of the BrahMos cruise missile, is currently replacing older Russian UKSK cells on several Indian warships.

Powered by the indigenously developed Manik Small Turbo Fan Engine (STFE), the LRLACM is expected to achieve a range of over 1,000 km. The STFE is also produced by BrahMos Aerospace at its facility in Thiruvananthapuram.

The LRLACM is a mission-mode project with a set timeline for entry into service and has been approved by the Defence Acquisition Council.

The missile will be deployed across all three services, with the Indian Air Force (IAF) and the Army receiving their respective Acceptance of Necessity (AoN) sanctions in August 2023 and February 2024. Once ready, the IAF is expected to procure missiles worth around Rs 10,000 crore, while the Army plans to acquire missiles worth Rs 4,000 crore.

In contrast, the long-range hypersonic missile represents a major technological breakthrough.

Hypersonic weapons, technically speaking, have existed since the mid-20th century. A hypersonic weapon is one that travels at Mach 5 or faster—at least five times the speed of sound. Ballistic missiles have long been capable of reaching these speeds.

What distinguishes today’s emerging hypersonic technologies is their use of aerodynamic lift. This allows reentry vehicles to manoeuvre within the atmosphere under guided flight. Unlike ballistic missiles, which follow a parabolic trajectory to their target, hypersonic missiles can reenter the atmosphere much more quickly.

After being launched from rocket boosters, these “boost-glide” vehicles reenter the atmosphere and are guided to their target. They can perform evasive manoeuvres to avoid interception by missile defence systems.

In addition to boost-glide vehicles, there are hypersonic cruise missiles, which operate on a different principle. Initially accelerated to hypersonic speeds using a rocket booster, these missiles switch to an air-breathing scramjet engine that keeps them powered throughout their flight.

Scramjet propulsion allows the missile to maintain hypersonic speeds without the need for traditional rocket propulsion, making it more efficient for long-range attacks.

The significance of hypersonic missiles, especially for countries with nuclear weapons, lies in their ability to defeat modern missile defense systems. Ballistic missile defense systems, such as those designed to intercept intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs), are built to track and intercept missiles following predictable, high-altitude trajectories.

However, the maneuverability and speed of hypersonic missiles render these defense systems mostly ineffective, as they are unable to adjust quickly enough to counter the missile’s evasive actions.

For instance, China’s pursuit of hypersonic weapons, much like Russia’s, is driven by concerns over U.S. hypersonic capabilities potentially enabling a preemptive strike on China’s nuclear arsenal and infrastructure. This could be compounded by U.S. missile defense systems, which could limit China’s ability to retaliate effectively.

Similarly, India’s hypersonic missile program is largely motivated by concerns over China’s growing capabilities.

China has successfully tested the DF-17, a medium-range ballistic missile designed to launch hypersonic glide vehicles, with a range estimated between 1,600 and 2,400 kilometers. It may now be ready for deployment.

Additionally, China has tested the DF-41 intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM), which could potentially be adapted to carry either a conventional or nuclear hypersonic glide vehicle.

The DF-ZF hypersonic glide vehicle, formerly known as the WU-14, has been tested by China at least nine times since 2014. U.S. defense officials estimate the DF-ZF has a range of approximately 1,900 kilometers and may be capable of executing "extreme maneuvers" during flight. China is said to have fielded the DF-ZF in 2020.