New Delhi/Hyderabad: The Defence Research & Development Laboratory (DRDL), part of the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), has successfully conducted a long-duration ground test of its Actively Cooled Scramjet Full-Scale Combustor, marking a major milestone in India’s hypersonic missile development programme.
The test, carried out at DRDL’s advanced Scramjet Connect Pipe Test (SCPT) Facility in Hyderabad, achieved a run time of over 12 minutes, validating the design and performance of the air-breathing scramjet engine under extended operating conditions. This builds on the earlier subscale test conducted on April 25, 2025, representing a crucial step in the country’s pursuit of hypersonic cruise missile technology.
The scramjet engine enables sustained flight at speeds exceeding Mach 5 (over 6,100 km/h) using supersonic combustion. Both the combustor and the test facility were designed and developed by DRDL with support from industry partners. The successful test demonstrates India’s growing capabilities in advanced aerospace and hypersonic systems.
Raksha Mantri Shri Rajnath Singh congratulated DRDO, academia, and industry collaborators, describing the achievement as a solid foundation for India’s Hypersonic Cruise Missile Programme. Dr Samir V Kamat, Secretary of Defence R&D and Chairman DRDO, also lauded the teams involved for their commendable work.
This milestone positions India among a select group of nations advancing hypersonic propulsion technology for defence applications.
