India Successfully Test Fires Long Range Hypersonic Missile: Defense Research and Development Organization (DRDO) on Saturday (16 November 2024) successfully flight tested a long-range hypersonic missile from Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam Island off the Odisha coast. Defense Minister Rajnath Singh has called it a big achievement.
Rajnath Singh described the successful flight test of the long-range hypersonic missile as a historic moment, which has included India in the select group of countries which have the capability of such important and advanced military technologies.
What did Rajnath Singh say?
Congratulating DRDO and the armed forces, Rajnath Singh, in a post on Twitter on Sunday (17 November 2024), the day after the test, said, “India test-fired long-range hypersonic missile from Dr APJ Abdul Kalam Island off the coast of Odisha.” “A major achievement has been achieved by successfully conducting the flight test. This is a historic moment and this important achievement puts our country in the select group of countries which have the capability of such important and advanced military technologies.”
The @DRDO_India has successfully conducted a flight trial of its long range hypersonic missile on 16th Nov 2024 from Dr APJ Abdul Kalam Island, off-the-coast of Odisha.
Raksha Mantri Shri @rajnathsingh has congratulated DRDO, Armed Forces and the Industry for successful flight… pic.twitter.com/wq7yM2YS9f
— Defense Minister's Office/RMO India (@DefenceMinIndia) November 17, 2024
What is special in it?
This hypersonic missile can reportedly carry various payloads to a range of more than 1500 km for all services of the Indian Armed Forces. The flight test of this missile, developed indigenously by the laboratories of Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam Missile Complex, Hyderabad as well as various laboratories of DRDO and industry partners, was conducted in the presence of senior scientists of DRDO and Armed Forces.
What are hypersonic weapons?
Hypersonic weapons are those that travel at hypersonic speed, which is defined as between 5 and 25 times the speed of sound, or approximately 1 to 5 miles per second. According to the report of America's Atlantic Council, currently only America, China, India and Russia have been able to acquire hypersonic missiles in the world. Russia is on top in terms of use of hypersonic missiles, their number and other technology. Russia's Zircon hypersonic missile is at the forefront in terms of fastest attack in the world. Its missile is capable of attacking up to 1000 km at a speed of Mach 8.
A big success was also achieved on 12th November.
Let us tell you that earlier on November 12, DRDO had conducted the first flight test of Long Range Land Attack Cruise Missile (LRLACM) from the Integrated Test Range (ITR) at Chandipur on the coast of Odisha from a mobile articulated launcher.
read this also
