As it gets ready to test the ET-LDHCM, an indigenously developed missile created by the Defence Research and Development Organization (DRDO) under the classified project “Project Vishnu,” India is poised to make a major advancement in its defense capabilities.
This cutting-edge missile has a strike range of roughly 1,500 kilometers and can reach speeds of up to Mach 8, or 11,000 km/h, which allows it to travel three kilometers per second. The ET-LDHCM is appropriate for a variety of strategic missions because it can carry conventional and nuclear warheads that weigh 1,000–2,000 kg.
The ET-LDHCM’s propulsion technology, a scramjet engine that uses atmospheric oxygen for combustion, is one of its distinguishing characteristics. It enables the missile to maintain hypersonic speeds for prolonged periods of time. This engine has already successfully completed a 1,000-second ground test by DRDO, marking a significant advancement in hypersonic propulsion technology. Because the missile’s airframe is made of materials that are resistant to heat and oxidation, it can survive temperatures as high as 2,000°C while in flight.
When the ET-LDHCM is in service, it will represent a significant advancement in India’s domestic missile development and strategic deterrence posture by placing the country among a few number of countries—including the US, China, and Russia—that have operational hypersonic weapon systems.
With its significant domestic technological achievement and potential to change the regional balance of power in Asia, the upcoming test of the ET-LDHCM under Project Vishnu marks a turning point for India’s defense industry.