Relevance: GS III (Science & Tech – Indigenization) & GS III (Security) | Source: The Indian Express / DRDO
1. The Context
On the 77th Republic Day (2026), India unveiled its indigenously developed Long Range Anti-Ship Hypersonic Missile (LR-AShM).
- The Milestone: This launch places India in an elite club of nations (alongside the US, Russia, and China) capable of developing operational hypersonic weaponry.
- The Developer: Designed by the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) primarily for the Indian Navy to secure the Indian Ocean Region (IOR).
2. The Tech: Faster than Sound, Harder to Catch
Unlike standard missiles that follow a predictable arc, the LR-AShM is a Hypersonic Glide Vehicle (HGV).
- Speed: It reaches initial speeds of Mach 10 (~12,000 km/h) and maintains Mach 5 during its glide phase.
- Trajectory: It follows a “Quasi-Ballistic” trajectory. It can change course mid-flight and performs “skips” in the atmosphere, making it nearly impossible for enemy radars to predict its path or intercept it.
- Range: It can strike targets up to 1,500 km away in roughly 15 minutes, drastically reducing the enemy’s reaction time.
3. Strategic Significance
- “Carrier Killer”: Its primary role is Anti-Access/Area Denial (A2/AD). It can target large enemy warships (aircraft carriers) moving in the Indian Ocean, acting as a massive deterrent.
- Stealth: Its low-altitude approach in the final phase allows it to evade detection until it is too late to stop.
UPSC Value Box
| Concept / Term | Relevance for Prelims |
| Hypersonic Speed | Any speed greater than Mach 5 (five times the speed of sound). Subsonic < Mach 1; Supersonic = Mach 1–5; Hypersonic > Mach 5. |
| Quasi-Ballistic Trajectory | Unlike a ballistic missile (which flies like a stone thrown in an arc), a quasi-ballistic missile can maneuver and change direction within the atmosphere, making interception difficult. |
| A2/AD (Anti-Access/Area Denial) | A military strategy used to prevent an adversary from occupying or traversing a strategic area of land, sea, or air (e.g., China in the South China Sea, India in the IOR). |
Q. With reference to missile technology, consider the following statements regarding the “Long Range Anti-Ship Hypersonic Missile” (LR-AShM) recently unveiled by India:
- It is an indigenously developed missile system designed by the DRDO.
- A missile is classified as “Hypersonic” only if it travels at a speed greater than Mach 5.
- The LR-AShM follows a strictly parabolic ballistic trajectory similar to the Agni series missiles.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
(a) 1 only
(b) 1 and 2 only
(c) 2 and 3 only
(d) 1, 2 and 3
Correct Answer: (b)
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