DRDO tests ramjet technology: Why it is big boost for India’s defence

India has taken a major leap in its bid to develop long-range air-to-air missiles. Defence Research & Development Organisation (DRDO) on Tuesday (February 3) carried out a successful flight test of the indigenous solid fuel ducted ramjet (SFDR) technology.

The demonstration was conducted from the Integrated Test Range (ITR), Chandipur off the coast of Odisha, at around 10:45 am, according to the Ministry of Defence. With this feat, India has entered the elite group of nations possessing this technology.

We take a closer look.

What is SFDR?

The SFDR is a next-generation missile system. The ramjet is an air-breathing jet engine that compresses incoming air without the need for rotating parts, as per howstuffworks.

It depends on “high-speed forward motion of the aircraft to compress air, making it suitable for supersonic and hypersonic flight,” the article added.

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The SFDR enables the development of long-range air-to-air missiles that give "tactical edge" over adversaries.

Unlike conventional missiles powered by rockets, the SFDR technology combines solid fuel with atmospheric oxygen, helping missiles to maintain supersonic speeds for longer periods.

Air-to-air missiles, which deploy the tech, can achieve longer ranges as they do not require oxidisers.

As per a Times of India (TOI) report, experts say this technology can also be adapted for surface-to-air missile systems.

DRDO successfully tests ramjet tech

DRDO successfully demonstrated its SFDR technology on Tuesday.

All subsystems, including the nozzle-less booster, SFDR motor and fuel flow controller, "performed as per expectations after being initially propelled by a ground booster motor to the desired Mach number", according to the defence ministry's statement.

Mach is the speed of sound.

“The performance of the system was confirmed by the flight data captured by a number of tracking instruments deployed by ITR, Chandipur along the coast of Bay of Bengal,” the statement read.

Senior scientists from various laboratories of DRDO monitored the launch.

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh hailed the DRDO and the industry on the successful demonstration of SFDR technology.

Secretary, Department of Defence R&D & Chairman DRDO, Dr Samir V Kamat, also congratulated all the teams involved in the flight test.

Besides India, Russia, China and the United States are reported to possess ramjet technology.

Why Ramjet tech matters for India

The successful demonstration of SFDR technology represents a big milestone in India’s indigenous missile development programme. In 2024, at least three successful missions involving different classes of missiles were carried out using the propulsion-based missile system.

DRDO, which started developing SFDR in 2017, had conducted successful tests in 2018, 2019, and 2021. It has been produced by Defence Research and Development Laboratory (DRDL), Hyderabad, in collaboration with other DRDO laboratories like Research Centre Imarat (RCI), Hyderabad and High Energy Materials Research Laboratory (HEMRL), Pune.

According to the International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS), ramjet-powered missiles provide greater range and a higher average speed than missiles powered by solid propellants.

They can also reportedly carry a bigger warhead as they do not have to ferry an oxidiser.

SFDR-powered missiles can neutralise highly manoeuvrable targets at ranges between 50 km and 340 km. These missiles, flying at speeds varying from Mach 2 to Mach 3.8, can operate at altitudes ranging from sea level to 20 km, with vertical manoeuvres of up to 10 km, as per TOI. 

The speed, range, and agility of these ramjet-powered missiles make it harder for enemy aircraft to evade being targeted. This will provide a significant edge to Indian fighter jets in aerial combat.

The technology boosts the operational reach of future air-to-air and air-defence weapons. The successful test of SFDR reflects India’s ability to innovate and produce world-class defence technology.

This will aid India in reducing dependence on foreign suppliers and strengthen indigenous defence capabilities.

The ramjet technology is likely to play a crucial role in future Indian missile programmes, increasing the combat effectiveness of the Indian Air Force (IAF).

With inputs from agencies