In a significant achievement, the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) successfully completed the final test of a missile system that uses solid fuel ducted ramjet (SFDR) propulsion. The test was conducted on Friday from a defence facility off the coast of Odisha.

The missile, developed in India, was launched from a static launcher at the launching complex III of the Integrated Test Range (ITR). This marks the third successful test in a month involving different types of missiles with Indian-made technologies. According to defence sources, the SFDR-powered missile fulfilled all mission requirements, confirming the sophisticated propulsion system and a number of other crucial elements. The missile precisely destroyed the aerial target while travelling along its intended course at a speed more than Mach 3 (three times the speed of sound). “The data captured by a number of range instruments, including telemetry, radar and electro-optical tracking systems has confirmed its performance. This could be the last developmental trial of the system as the flawless mission indicates that the system is ready for induction,” said a defence official.

According to reports, India is the first nation to create this state-of-the-art SFDR technology, which will aid in the development of long-range air-to-air missiles that can destroy swiftly moving aerial targets at a distance of more than 300 kilometres at supersonic speed. The Defence Research and Development Laboratory (DRDL), Hyderabad, worked with other DRDO laboratories, including the High Energy Materials Research Laboratory (HEMRL), Pune, and the Research Centre Imarat (RCI), Hyderabad, to create the SFDR.

Last month, former DRDO chairman G. Satheesh Reddy told TNIE that the SFDR (Solid Fuel Ducted Ramjet) will help India develop long-range air-to-air missiles. Once fully developed, India will be the first country to have this capability, he said. On November 16, India successfully tested its first long-range hypersonic missile, which can hit targets 1,500 km away. Then, on November 27, the 3,500 km-range K-4 missile was successfully tested from the INS Arighaat submarine.