Successful Testing Of The HSTDV Will Boost India’s DS

Successful testing of the Hypersonic Technology Demonstrator Vehicle will boost India’s ‘defence speed’, a big leap in hypersonic missile technology. The successful testing of the Hypersonic Technology Demonstrator Vehicle has given the Indian defense system the speed that only three countries of the world can match.

After developing hypersonic technology on its own after the US, Russia, and China, India has made a big leap in the field of modern defense systems. What is HSTDV? : The hypersonic technology Demonstrator Vehicle (HSTDV) is a scramjet aircraft or engine that can carry long-range and hypersonic cruise missiles.

Its speed is six times more than sound. That is, it can target the enemy’s hideout located in any corner of the world in a short time. Its speed is so fast that the enemy does not even get a chance to intercept and take action. Successful testing of HSTDV will help India in the preparation of BrahMos-2, an advanced technology hypersonic missile.

It is being developed by the Defense Research and Development Organization (DRDO) and the Russian Space Agency. Why is it special? : Common missiles are based on ballistic trajectory technology. That is, with easy tracking of their path, counter-attack can also be prepared.

In contrast, it is impossible to detect the path of a hypersonic missile system. At present, there is no technology that can detect these missiles. However, many countries are trying to gain the ability to detect and destroy them through energy weapons, particle beams, and non-kinetic weapons.

Ballistic and Cruise Missiles: Ballistic missiles are quite large. They are capable of carrying heavy bombs. These missiles cannot be hidden, so they can be destroyed by the enemy before they are released. However, cruise missiles are smaller and the weight of the bombs carried on them is less.

They can be hidden. Their trajectory also varies. Ballistic missiles move from the vertical direction to the target, while the cruise missile chooses its path parallel to the Earth. Ballistic missile targets are no longer in control after being released, while cruise missiles are aimed accurately.

India has prepared a cruise missile named BrahMos in collaboration with Russia. Pakistan claims to have built a missile called Babur with indigenous technology, but defense experts believe it is based on the Chinese cruise missile. What is the Scramjet Engine? : The Scramjet engine was successfully tested by the Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) on August 28, 2016.

It is also known as a supersonic combustion ramjet engine. Scientists believe that its weight is reduced, due to which the space expenditure will also decrease. This aircraft working on air-breathing technology will be able to send more payloads and can also be used again.

It can also work under extremely high pressures and high temperatures. Difference between subsonic, supersonic, and hypersonic: According to UK resident defense and international affairs analyst James Boschbottins, subsonic missiles have a lower speed than sound. It has a top speed of 705 miles (1,134 km) per hour.

This category includes Tomahawk of America, Exocet of France, and Nirbhay Missile of India. These missiles are inexpensive as well as small in size and strategically important. Supersonic missiles have to speed up to three times the speed of sound (Mach-3). Most supersonic missiles have speeds of up to 2,300 miles (about 3,701 km) per hour.

The most popular missile in this category is the BrahMos, with a speed of 2,100-2,300 miles (about 3389 to 3,701 km) per hour. A ramjet engine is used for supersonic missiles. The hypersonic missile has a top speed of more than 3,800 mph. That is, their speed is five times higher than the speed of sound and for these, Scramjet i.e. Mach-6 level engine is used.