유도탄 인도, 장거리 극초음속 미사일 및 아음속 순항미사일 발사시험

[위종민]

인도 DRDO가 11월 16일 인도 최초의 장거리 극초음속 미사일의 시험발사를 성공적으로 실시했다고 합니다. 사거리는 1,500km이상이고 종말기동을 성공적으로 실시한 후 표적에 명중했다고 하네요. 

이에 앞서 11월 12일에는 장거리 지상공격용 순항미사일의 첫 시험발사를 이동식 발사대에서 성공리에 수행했다고 하네요. 

India Conducts Maiden Tests of Long Range Hypersonic and Subsonic Naval Missiles - Naval News

India Conducts Maiden Tests of Long Range Hypersonic and Subsonic Naval Missiles - Naval News

LRLACM (L) and LRAShM (R)

India Conducts Maiden Tests of Long Range Hypersonic and Subsonic Naval MissilesBoth the subsonic LRLACM and hypersonic LRAShM will complement the supersonic BrahMos, currently the primary strike weapon of the Indian Navy.

Adithya Krishna Menon  17 Nov 2024

On November 16, India’s Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) conducted a successful flight trial of India’s first long-range hypersonic missile. A press release by the Ministry of Defence (MoD) stated that the missile is designed to carry various payloads for ranges greater than 1,500 kms for the Armed Forces. It also mentioned that the missile conducted successful terminal manoeuvres and impacted with a high degree of accuracy.

Earlier on November 12, DRDO had conducted the maiden flight test of Long Range Land Attack Cruise Missile (LRLACM) from a mobile articulated launcher. A press release by the MoD stated that all sub-systems performed as per expectation and met the primary mission objectives.

LRAShM

Launch of the hypersonic LRAShM (MoD)

Naval News had reported about both of these missiles earlier on December 14, 2023 here. It was noted then that the maiden test of Long Range Anti-Ship Missile (LRAShM) might have been conducted on October 06, 2023 according to local media and an area warning of about 2000 km length. In an year end review press release on December 22, 2023 the MoD stated the following, indicating that such reports were accurate:

Long Range – Anti Ship Missile: DRDO is engaged in development of technologies required for Long Range Anti-Ship Missile weapon systems capable of engaging a warship with a long range. The missile was flight tested from Integrated Test Range.

However, the MoD’s description of the November 16, 2024 test being India’s first long range hypersonic missile test likely points to the fact that the payload this time was a delta winged body hypersonic glide vehicle (HGV) rather than a standard kill vehicle. The HGV payload allows the missile to conduct the terminal manoeuvres as stated by MoD, compared to a quasi-ballistic trajectory. Based on open source information, the missile is likely 1.4 metres in diameter with a length of about 14 metres weighing less than 20 tons. A recent media report had stated that the missile would be capable of being launched from warships and shore batteries. The test had an area warning with a length of about 1,700 km.

The press release also makes it clear that it is not just an AShM for the Navy but a missile for all three services with various payload options. Multiple media reports have stated that conventionally armed ballistic missiles with a range of about 1,500 km are being considered by the armed forces, with a report stating that this missile would have an anti-ship variant. This article refers to the missile as LRAShM given the absence of any other known nomenclature for the missile family.

LRLACM

LRLACM launch (DRDO)

LRLACM is a Defence Acquisition Council-approved, Acceptance of Necessity (AoN)-sanctioned, Mission Mode Project, according to the press release. It has been developed by the Aeronautical Development Establishment (ADE) of DRDO. State-owned Bharat Dynamics Limited and Bharat Electronics Limited are the two Development-Cum-Production-Partners (DcPP) for LRLACM and they are engaged in missile development and integration.

LRLACM is configured to launch from ground using a mobile articulated launcher and also from frontline ships using a universal vertical launch module (UVLM) system. The Indian UVLM is currently replacing older Russian UKSK cells in many warships. LRLACM, along with a Submarine Launched Cruise Missile (SLCM) and Air Launched Cruise Missile (ALCM) are based on the Nirbhay cruise missile and ITCM projects undertaken earlier by DRDO. Powered by a Small Turbo Fan Engine (STFE) engine developed by DRDO called Manik, the LRLACM is expected to have a range of over 1,000 km. Notably, BrahMos Aerospace which makes the supersonic BrahMos cruise missiles also produces the STFE in its unit in Thiruvananthapuram. DRDO’s GTRE had sought industrial partners to support testing and production activities of the engine, which is required in the hundreds to support various aeronautical programs.

Small Turbo fan Engine after final assembly and integration at BATL (BATL)

LRLACM will be used by all three services with the Indian Air Force and Army receiving AoN for procurement of the missile in August 2023 and February 2024 respectively. IAF will procure missiles worth about ₹10,000 crore once developed, while the Army will procure missiles worth ₹4,000 crore.

For the Indian Navy, both the LRLACM and LRAShM offers long range conventional strike options for various targets at ranges exceeding that of the BrahMos cruise missile, even as the range of BrahMos is being extended to about 900 km. Newer missiles like NASM-SR and NASM-MR, being developed by DRDO, will be used to meet shorter ranged requirements.