Article 1 : India to Expand its Hypersonic Arsenal with LR-ASHM Missile
GS 3: Science & Technology (Defence Technology, Indigenous Weapons Systems and National Security)
Why in News: DRDO showcased the Long Range Anti-Ship Hypersonic Missile (LR-ASHM) for the first time during the 77th Republic Day Parade, 2026, signalling India’s entry into advanced hypersonic warfare capabilities.
Key Details
- LR-ASHM is a hypersonic glide missile developed by DRDO for Indian Navy’s coastal defence and sea-denial operations.
- It has a range of about 1,500 km and can travel at speeds up to Mach 10.
- The missile follows a quasi-ballistic trajectory, making it extremely difficult to detect and intercept.
- Successful testing was conducted on 16 November 2024 off the Odisha coast.
Hypersonic Weapons: Concept and Strategic Importance
- Definition: Hypersonic weapons travel at speeds exceeding Mach 5 (five times the speed of sound) and combine speed, manoeuvrability, and precision.
- Difference from Ballistic Missiles: Unlike traditional ballistic missiles that follow predictable parabolic paths, hypersonic systems fly lower and manoeuvre mid-course, evading missile defence systems.
- Global Strategic Competition: Countries such as USA, China, and Russia are aggressively developing hypersonic weapons, making it a critical domain of modern warfare.
- Military Advantage: Hypersonic weapons significantly compress enemy reaction time, enhancing deterrence and first-strike survivability.
LR-ASHM: Key Technical Features
- Hypersonic Glide Vehicle (HGV): LR-ASHM uses a glide vehicle that is boosted initially and then performs an unpowered hypersonic glide through the atmosphere.
- Speed and Range: It can achieve speeds of Mach 10 and strike targets up to 1,500 km within approximately 10–15 minutes.
- Quasi-Ballistic Trajectory: The missile flies at low altitude with manoeuvrability, making detection by ground-based and ship-borne radars extremely difficult.
- Two-Stage Solid Propulsion: Stage-1 boosts the missile to hypersonic velocity, after which the glide vehicle separates and manoeuvres towards the target.
Operational Significance for Indian Navy
- Sea Denial Capability: LR-ASHM can neutralise enemy warships, enabling India to deny adversaries access to critical maritime zones.
- Indian Ocean Region (IOR): The missile strengthens India’s deterrence posture in the strategically vital Indian Ocean, a major global trade and energy route.
- Multi-Target Engagement: It is capable of hitting both static and moving targets, including aircraft carriers and advanced naval platforms.
- Future Variants: Versions with ranges up to 3,500 km are under development, further enhancing India’s maritime strike capability.
Detection Evasion and Survivability
- Low-Altitude Flight: Flying close to the surface reduces radar horizon visibility, delaying enemy detection.
- High Manoeuvrability: Continuous in-flight manoeuvres prevent accurate trajectory prediction by missile defence systems.
- Reduced Interception Probability: Existing air defence systems are largely optimised for ballistic or cruise missiles, not hypersonic glide vehicles.
- Strategic Deterrence: These features make LR-ASHM a credible deterrent weapon rather than merely a tactical missile.
India’s Broader Hypersonic Missile Programme
- Hypersonic Glide Technology: LR-ASHM represents a major indigenous breakthrough in materials, thermal protection, and guidance systems.
- Hypersonic Cruise Missiles (HCM): DRDO is also developing scramjet-powered hypersonic cruise missiles, which fly within the atmosphere using sustained propulsion.
- Scramjet Technology: Scramjets enable efficient operation at hypersonic speeds by maintaining supersonic airflow in the combustion chamber.
- Tri-Service Deployment: Army, Air Force, and ship-launched naval variants are either under development or under consideration.
Conclusion
India’s induction of LR-ASHM marks a decisive step towards technological self-reliance and credible deterrence in the hypersonic domain. Continued focus on indigenous propulsion, sensors, and command-and-control integration will be essential. As hypersonic weapons reshape global military balance, India’s expanding arsenal strengthens its strategic autonomy and maritime security in an increasingly contested Indo-Pacific region.
EXPECTED QUESTION UPSC CSE
Prelims MCQ
Q. Hypersonic weapons are defined as weapons travelling at speeds greater than:
(a) Mach 3
(b) Mach 5
(c) Mach 7
(d) Mach 10
Answer: (b)