India has reached a significant milestone in hypersonic missile development by conducting a successful long-duration test of its Actively Cooled Full Scale Scramjet Combustor. The test, lasting over 1,200 seconds, took place at the Scramjet Connect Pipe Test Facility in Hyderabad. This achievement follows a previous test of over 700 seconds earlier this year, as reported by the Defence Research and Development Laboratory (DRDL) of DRDO.
The Combustor, designed and developed by DRDL and realized by industry partners, received praise from Defence Minister Rajnath Singh. He commended DRDO, industry partners, and academia for the successful ground-test of the Full Scale Actively Cooled Long Duration Scramjet Engine. Singh emphasized that this accomplishment lays a strong foundation for India’s Hypersonic Cruise Missile Development Programme.
Dr. Samir V Kamat, Secretary of the Department of Defence R&D and Chairman of DRDO, also extended congratulations to the teams involved in the test. This successful test places India at the forefront of advanced aerospace capabilities and the evolving landscape of war technologies. The achievement was made possible through the utilization of cutting-edge supersonic air-breathing engine technology, indigenous liquid hydrocarbon endothermic fuel, High temperature Thermal Barrier coating, and advanced manufacturing processes.
The ground-tests conducted at the SCPT facility have not only validated the design of the advanced active cooled scramjet Combustor but also showcased the capabilities of the state-of-the-art test facility. Rajnath Singh recently highlighted the government’s focus on defence research, with the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) having transferred 2,200 technologies to various industries. A significant portion of the defence R&D budget has been allocated to industry, academia, and start-ups, with these entities having already utilized over Rs 4,500 crore of the budget.
