An Indian government defence laboratory has successfully tested a scramjet as part of efforts to develop hypersonic missiles.
The Defence Research & Development Laboratory (DRDL) conducted the 120s test of the supersonic combustion ramjet – or scramjet – at a facility in Hyderabad, according to India’s defence ministry.
This is the first such test to take place in India.
“The achievement marks a crucial milestone in the development of next-generation hypersonic missiles,” says Indian defence minister Rajnath Singh.
Scramjets are air-breathing jet engines that operate at hypersonic speeds by compressing incoming air without moving parts before combustion.
According to the defence ministry, the 2min demonstration involved several achievements such as stable ignition and combustion, and the use of locally developed endothermic scramjet fuel, which improves cooling while easing ignition.
The DRDL (a unit of India’s Defence Research and Development Organisation) also developed a thermal barrier coating for the engine’s interior to ensure that it can withstand the extreme temperatures encountered during hypersonic flight.
