DRDO achieves major breakthrough in hypersonic weapon technology

DRDO demonstrated long-duration Active Cooled Scramjet Subscale Combustor ground testing for more than 1,000 seconds.
| Photo Credit: PIB

The Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) on Friday (April 25, 2025) announced a significant milestone in the field of hypersonic weapon technology with the demonstration of long-duration Active Cooled Scramjet Subscale Combustor ground testing for more than 1,000 seconds.

“The ground-test is in continuation of the earlier test reported for 120 seconds in January 2025. With the successful test, the system will be soon ready for full scale flight worthy combustor testing,” DRDO said in a statement. “This test validates the design of long duration scramjet combustor as well as test facility.”

The development was achieved by the Defence Research & Development Laboratory (DRDL), a Hyderabad-based laboratory of DRDO, at the newly built state-of-the-art scramjet connect test facility.

Hypersonic cruise missile is a class of weapons that can travel more than five times the speed of sound (>6100 Kmph) for a long duration and is powered by air breathing engine. Air-breathing propulsion systems, having supersonic combustion, play a critical role for long-duration cruise conditions, the statement said.