India secures world superpower status with hypersonic missile launch; big blow to Pak, China

NEW DELHI: By successfully testing its long-range hypersonic missile, India has joined the ranks of world superpowers. The missile, which has a speed of five times the speed of sound and a strike range of more than 1500 km, was launched from Abdul Kalam Island in Odisha.

India thus got included in the hypersonic missile club, which hitherto had only the United States, Russia and China as members. India's successful test launch serves a strong message to nuclear-armed neighbours China and Pakistan. This will enable a big boost in India’s missile strike capability on land, and sea.

The missile was indigenously developed by Hyderabad Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam Missile Complex along with various DRDO Labs and industries. The experiment was conducted in the presence of DRDO scientists and top military officers.

Hypersonic is the speed of sound between Mach 5 and Mach 20. It has a speed of 6,174 – 24,140 km/h.

Advantages:

The trajectory will change automatically. A plasma cloud forms around the missile due to the intense heat created by the high velocity in the atmosphere. It will neutralize the radio waves of enemy radars.

It will carry nuclear warheads along with conventional weapons. A precise blow. Enemy defenses can be quickly broken. It can be used by all three defense forces and can be deployed on land, ships, submarines and aircraft.

Big plans in the making:

1. BrahMos - 2 hypersonic missile

Range 1500 km. Speed ​​Mach - 8. Jointly developed by DRDO and Russia

2. Hypersonic glide vehicle

Speed ​​Mach 20 -21. The range is 5,500 km. 300 kg of weapons

3. Hypersonic aircraft

An aircraft with a scramjet engine that draws in oxygen from the atmosphere and burns fuel. It will launch a hypersonic glide missile. The missile will separate at a certain height.