IIT Madras To Unveil Ramjet-Powered Pseudo-Missile Shell Capable Of Hitting Targets 70-80 Km Away

In a major breakthrough, IIT Madras will unveil a ramjet-powered pseudo-missile shell capable of hitting targets as far as 70-80 Km. This is a potentially revolutionary concept and it will be unveiled at the DefExpo2020, reports Idrw.org.

Engineers in IIT are trying to get the attention of the Ministry of Defence (MOD) for funding and Lt Gen Palepu Ravi Shankar, (Retd) who has joined the Department of Aerospace engineering at IIT Madras has revealed that, “We have a solid concept to develop a ramjet-powered shell if Government parts with funds to move ahead with the program".

According to Ranesh Rajan, a defence analyst, what makes this projectile so different is that a ramjet-powered artillery shell is launched from a artillery gun but it travels at three times the speed of sound powered by ramjet motor and allow the projectile to hit a moving target at long ranges.

The advantage a ramjet-powered artillery shell would exponentially increase the possible target area to more than 31079 square Kilometers, and will solve the problem of howitzer relocation.

Indian Army recently inducted the M982 Excalibur extended-range guided artillery shells with a range of 40km for its newly acquired M777 155 mm. 39-caliber towed howitzer guns and the K-9 Vajra 155 mm/52 cal.

India's Advanced Towed Artillery Gun System (ATAGS) launched shells at an astounding range of 47 km using HEBB projectiles at Pokhran. During the high-altitude winter trails in the Himalayan Sikkim region in India, a range of 58km was achieved.