Hypersonic weapons incorporate the speed of a ballistic missile with the manoeuvring capabilities of a cruise missile. Do share your thoughts about this article by writing down in the comment box below. In its test, the speed reached 11,200 kilometres per hour. Over the last few years, some of the prominent nuclear powers in the world have been involved in a race to develop hypersonic weapons. In addition to this, the Hypersonic Air-Breathing Weapon Concept (HAWC) missile is also under development, having a speed of Mach 5. The acquisition of counterforce capability by India would likely provoke a new arms race in the region. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. It is a test bed for technologies to provide the United States with the capability to reach any target in the world within one hour (Prompt Global Strike) using an unmanned hypersonic bomber aircraft. Moreover, Russia has developed ‘KH-47M2 Kinzhal’ hypersonic cruise missile with a reported range of 1200 kilometers and capable of achieving Mach 10 speed. This website uses cookies to improve your experience. Because hypersonic weapons are an emerging critical technology vital to future warfighting capabilities, nation-states are aggressively pursuing them. As per the reports from CNBC, Australia, Japan and France are also in the queue of pursuing this technology. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. The hypersonic missile speed is much more than other cruise and ballistic missiles. In the coming 5 years, India plans to develop a hypersonic missile. So far, Russia, China and the US have been developing hypersonic test vehicles. In recent years, the technological advancements by India in the domain of counterforce military capabilities have increased the vulnerability of the South Asian region. Hypersonic technology is expected to revolutionise the way countries throughout the world can counter ballistic and nuclear attacks. A Lithuanian soldier suspected of drunk driving was detained also in Siauliai in December. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Both the nuclear states in South Asia need to engage in arms restraint and escalation control measures. Thermo-structural characterisation of high-temperature materials, Aerodynamic configuration for hypersonic manoeuvers, Separation mechanism at hypersonic velocities. Pakistan has long doubted the Indian policy of NFU, as the actions and statements by the officials of the latter have always been aggressive and protruding towards the former. We'll assume you're ok with this, but you can opt-out if you wish. hypersonic technology demonstration vehicle (hstdv) The hypersonic cruise vehicle was launched using a proven solid rocket motor . This flight test is the first step on the path that leads to the development of ultra-modern weapons of the new class having the capacity to travel six times more than the speed in which the sound travels. On the 7th of January, the Pakistan military has successfully conducted a purely indigenously developed missile test flight known to be Fatah-1. Conventional or nuclear payloads can be delivered within minutes. Sorry, your blog cannot share posts by email. China became the first country to publicly announce the deployment of hypersonic weapons when its DF-17 missile featured in the National Day military parade on October 1, 2019. India is now the fourth numbered in the list of countries with hypersonic technology. I find it hard to believe the US is not top dog on hypersonic vehicles today. The trial was carried out by the Defence Research and Development Organisation. Unlike traditional missile’s tech, HSTDVs are hard to track due to their speed. Taking to micro-blogging site Twitter, PM Modi lauded the move asserting that "very few countries have such capability today". Very few countries have such capability today, says PM Modi on successful flight test of Hypersonic Technology Demonstrator Vehicle. According to the recent statement given by the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) about the newly developed rocket, it was stated: “The weapon system will give Pakistan Army capability of a precision target deep in the enemy territory.” Director-General of Pakistan Army, Media Wing, major general Babar Iftikhar on 7th January tweeted: “Pakistan today conducted a successful; test flight of indigenously developed Fatah-1, Guided Multi Launch Rocket System, capable of delivering a conventional Warhead up to a range of 140 km.”. The BMD and MIRV technology along with the provision of an advanced navigation system under BECA would embolden India to go for the first strike against Pakistan. It is designed without an independent propulsion system. This includes Hypersonic Cruise Missile (HCM) and the Hyper Velocity Gliding Projectile (HVGP)planned to be operational in the late 2020s. Evolutions and Technology Hypersonic vehicles, commonly characterized as highly maneuverable systems traveling at speeds of at least Mach 5, comprise two classes of hypersonic systems: hypersonic cruise missiles and hypersonic boost glide vehicles.7 The word hypersonic … Hypersonic Technology Vehicle 2 (HTV-2) is an experimental hypersonic glide vehicle developed as part of the DARPA Falcon Project capable of flying at 13,000 mph (Mach 17.53, 21,000 km/h). Use of scramjet propulsion for ignition and sustained combustion at a hypersonic flow. The United States, China, and Russia are designing and testing hypersonic missiles. Unlike traditional missile tech, these are hard to track due to their high speed. Monthly Current Affairs for UPSC: October 2020 Daily Current Affairs Booster. Over the last few years, some of the prominent nuclear powers in the world have been involved in a race to develop hypersonic weapons. In the same way, Pakistan won’t be in a position to deter India from using hypersonic weapons in case of any future conflict keeping in view India’s eagerness to develop hypersonic weapons. multiple tracking radars, electro-optical systems and telemetry stations monitored the parameters of launch and cruise vehicle that included the scramjet engine. This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. As per the estimates, there is still a long way to go for India to get its hypersonic BrahMos-II missile operational. Nature & Qualities of an IAS Officer: What should be the Qualities of an IAS Officer? As the stated posture requires flexibility in the use of nuclear weapons, which fortifies the first strike capability, and thus a deviation in India’s declared policy of ‘No First Use’ (NFU) has become more significant, particularly concerning its impact on regional stability. India is Operating World’s Fastest Expanding Nuclear Weapons Programme. Dongfeng-17 –  rocket-boosted hypersonic glide vehicle. Summarizing it all, the existence of Pakistan’s nuclear deterrence has created a stable environment in the region, by deterring full-scale wars on multiple occasions that might have resulted in a nuclear exchange. Srushti Jayant Deshmukh Biography: Srushti Jayant Deshmukh IAS Wiki & Her Current Posting, Difference between a Creamy and Non-Creamy Layer of OBC: Here’s All You Need to Know for UPSC. The conscription took place in Lithuania. Countries with Hypersonic Missiles: How Many Countries have Hypersonic Missiles? The recruits once again were revealed by an electronic lottery on January 7, 2021. These geographical circumstances would likely provide India an edge vis-à-vis Pakistan thus becoming a considerable challenge. US hypersonic weapons program also includes the development of Tactical Boost Glide (TBG) vehicle, which is believed to be in response to Russia’s Avangard hypersonic glide vehicle, and the HyRAX unmanned craft projects respectively. Notwithstanding the challenges and repercussions caused by the counterforce strategy and with an attempt to destabilize the nuclear deterrence in the region, India would go unjustifiably low to attain such measures. Dr. Wright and Dr. Tracy based their analysis on the Hypersonic Technology Vehicle 2 — an experimental warhead developed by the Air Force and Darpa. It is pertinent to highlight that hypersonic weapons are widely considered to be deadly weapons based on their certain specifications. DRDO test-fired the HSTDV aka the Hypersonic Technology Demonstrator Vehicle from Abdul Kalam Island off the coast of Odisha. Usually, popularization is the act of making something attractive to the general public. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. Predictable arcs are not followed as they travel. In future, these can be used for low-cost launching of satellites and cruise missiles of low-range. Now India has also become a part of these hypersonic technology countries. This would likely remain a significant threat to the deterrence stability in the region. These cookies do not store any personal information. Hypersonic Technology Demonstrator Vehicle – Hypersonic scramjet demonstration by India. Dongfeng-17 was displayed in a military parade. Given the Indian evolved notions of counterforce preemption, even now Pakistan would be left with no choice but to leave room for carrying out a ‘first strike’ as a feasible deterrent against India. The proverb “a chain is only as strong as its weakest link” perfectly reflects the situation in the Lithuanian armed forces. These are considered to have a combination of cruise missile’s manoeuvring capabilities and ballistic missile’s speed. They will further embolden India resort to a counterforce first strike against Pakistan. Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. High-Speed Strike Weapon – Boeing X-51 based missile by the United States. Hypersonic Technology. The term hypersonic refers to any airborne craft traveling at speeds greater than Mach 5, or five times the speed of sound (Lewis, 2017). ... Hypersonic weapons when … Recovery action plan of the Union: On Next Generation EU & a New Independent authority? Russia apparently became the first nation to put a hypersonic weapon into use after the Avangard glide vehicle was introduced in December 2019. The HSTDV cruise vehicle is mounted on a solid rocket motor, which will take it to a required altitude, and once it attains a certain speed, the cruise vehicle will be ejected out of the launch vehicle. India’s enhanced strategic nuclear capabilities which includes-the development of Multiple Independent Reentry Vehicles (MIRVs), Ballistic Missile Defence System (BMD), Inter-Continental Ballistic Missiles (ICBMs), supersonic and hypersonic cruise missiles, and acquisition of nuclear-capable submarines- indicate that India is moving away from its declared policy of ‘No First Use’ (NFU) towards a more aggressive, counterforce posture against Pakistan. With the revolution in nuclear technology, the threat of nuclear war has emerged again. While there is considerable debate over the validity of Russian and Chinese claims, some of America’s top military officers say there is enough evidence to make dismissing them a serious mistake. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. Any contemporary list of cutting-edge military technologies has hypersonic, air-breathing, scramjet vehicles close to the very top. The test was carried out from Wheeler Island, presently known as Abdul Kalam Island. Hypersonic Air-Breathing Weapon Concept (HAWC), Hypersonic Technology Demonstrator Vehicle (HSTDV). Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies. it considers DOD’s funding requests for U.S. hypersonic technology programs. At present, the hypersonic race at the global level as well as its emergence in South Asia poses a serious threat to international and regional security. In the previous year, Pakistan had also maintained prime success in conducting the Ra’ad-II cruise missile and Ghaznavi surface-to-surface ballistic missile (SSBM). Likewise, it would further add to Pakistan’s security to be at stake. Though Pakistan’s threat perception is mainly inclined towards India, it has relied on a credible nuclear deterrence approach. In this context, the South Asian region also has significance where the emergence of hypersonic technology is quite visible. These developments are aimed at achieving a landmark in hypersonic capabilities. This vehicle is capable of moving at 6 times faster than the speed of sound. In another landmark achievement, the US also developed Falcon Hypersonic Technology Vehicle, capable of Mach 20 speed. The projection of Turkish power in the Eastern Mediterranean, Morocco Increases Pressure on Hezbollah by Arresting One of its Alleged Financiers. Unlike conventional projectiles, hypersonic missiles are capable of maneuvering during flight, making them more difficult to track and destroy. Bitcoin Price Bubble: A Mirror to the Financial Crisis? That is especially true regarding China, which Air Force Gen. Paul J. Selva, vice chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, says has made hypersonics a Manhattan Project-level operation on which they are willing to spend “up to hundreds of billions to solve the problems of hypersonic flight, hypersonic target designation, an… It is it unclear how the army will carry out its tasks, if everything that happens there runs counter to common sense. What if I Don’t Read Newspapers for UPSC? Look at the pictures and make conclusions. At those speeds, if it hit a carrier, it would pass right through, and potentially put it out of action. The said weapon came into the spotlight when recently on June 10 it was accidentally dropped by a US strategic bomber during a trail. The aircraft is called the Hypersonic Technology Demonstrator Vehicle. Odisha. Russia has become the only country in the world to deploy hypersonic weapons, according to the Russian president. Hypersonic technology. This is designed to travel at a speed exceeding 3,800 miles per hour. ‘National pride is at stake.’ Russia, China, United States race to build hypersonic weapons. On 7 September, 2020 (Monday) DRDO successfully conducted a test flight of the indigenously developed Hypersonic Technology Demonstrator Vehicle (HSTDV) from Dr APJ Abdul Kalam Launch Complex at Wheeler Island, off the coast of Odisha. Besides, Pakistan Air Force (PAF) on 30thDecember made apt progress when it comes to the national air defense arsenal as it was announced that PAF is beginning the production of the State-of-the-art JF-17 Thunder Block 3 fighter jets, at the same time acquiring the 14 dual-seat Jf-17 aircraft. Post was not sent - check your email addresses! Developed in 1990 by the Soviet Union/ Russia. In future, this can be used for launching small satellites at lower expenses. This success takes India’s technology development to a higher level and it is considered that this will lead you to much more development of critical technologies. An unmanned scramjet demonstration aircraft, this is the most simple description of HSTDV. In South Asia, India […] Kh-90 – Hypersonic air-to-surface cruise missile. At the hypersonic level, it would likely be a matter of a minute or two for India to initiate the first strike in absence of a credible countermeasure. HSTDV motor took it to an altitude of 30 kilometres (km), where the aerodynamic heat shields were separated at hypersonic Mach number . It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website. On 26 December 2018, the latest flight test occurred and this time it flew at 27 times the speed of sound. Currently, Pakistan Army owns a wide range of Short-Range Ballistic Missiles (SRBM), Medium-Range Ballistic Missiles (MRBM), Battlefield Ballistic Missiles (BBM), Rocket Artillery, and Surface to Surface Cruise Missile (SSCM). Young people are suspicious of this method and fully admit the possibility of corruption. That rocket motor took the vehicle to an altitude of 30 km. According to Daily NK, the country has not yet secured the correct technology for the hypersonic missiles, which require attaching Post Boost Vehicles, allowing them to … Given the evolved nuclear weapons dynamics, the emergence of hypersonic weapons seems to be significant for international security architecture. For the first time, a successful flight test of the HSTDV was carried by the DRDO. The idea of using electronic lottery in such a serious procedure arises a lot of questions among Lithuanians. This contest served the opposite goal. Moreover, any kind of failure to maintain nuclear deterrence in South Asia could result in an all-out war, without any escalation control. Experts say, it doesn’t even need a warhead. US hypersonic technology programs. In the same vein, Russia is known to have developed and deployed a hypersonic glide vehicle Avangard that too can reach an incredible speed of Mach 20. Which countries have hypersonic missiles? According to various reports, the JF-17 Thunder Block 3 will be said to have a new radar operational capability which will be far better in the practical domain as compared to the Raphael aircraft acquired by India. Such a situation would increasingly become more complex given the short flight times and the 3,133 kilometers of the border (including LoC) between the two countries. On the contrary, Pakistan has been maintaining a posture of Credible Minimum Deterrence (CMD) and does not claim to have a No-First Use (NFU) policy. In addition to the US, Russia, and China’s hypersonic rivalry, there are prospects of hypersonic weapons in South Asia based on India’s aspiration of these dangerous weapons. It was flight tested between February 2015 and June 2016. Hypersonic Missile Country List Developed in a combination of manoeuvring capabilities of cruise missiles with the speed of ballistic missiles. Now India has also become a part of these hypersonic technology countries. On Monday, 7th September 2020 India India successfully tested an HSTDV. With these developments, the US aims to neutralize both Russia’s and China’s significant developments being carried out in this sphere for the last few years. Most recently on June 12, 2020, India conducted its first on-field test under an indigenous project to develop a hypersonic unmanned scramjet cruise missile namely Hypersonic Technology Demonstrator Vehicle (HSTDV). But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience. The recent successful testing of Fatah-1 has been considered to be another milestone for Pakistan as it tends to be a fitting response to the recent developments in the conventional capabilities carried out by India and also to India’s Cold Start Doctrine. The far-reaching destabilization which India is trying to create, just to have an edge on the nuclear adversary, would be back on India’s face, faster than she knew it. Nobody could check the results and so nobody could be blamed for random selection. Countries like the US, Russia, and China have up till now developed hypersonic weapons systems comprised mainly of hypersonic cruise missiles (HCMs) and hypersonic glide vehicles (HGVs). In the South Asian context, if India gets its hypersonic weapons operationalized, the region would become more vulnerable and prone to a nuclear conflict between India and Pakistan.