DRDO Achieves Breakthrough in Scramjet Engine Testing

On 25th April 2025, DRDO successfully conducted ground testing of an active cooled scramjet subscale combustor for over 1,000 seconds at its Scramjet Connect Test Facility in Hyderabad.

Key Points

Extended Ground Test: The test builds on a previous 120-second trial in January and marks a significant leap toward long-duration hypersonic propulsion.
Next Step – Flight Testing: With this success, DRDO is now gearing up for full-scale flight-worthy combustor testing.
Scramjet Propulsion: Scramjets, or supersonic combustion ramjets, enable hypersonic cruise missiles to fly over five times the speed of sound using air-breathing engines.
Strategic Importance: The successful test validates both the scramjet combustor design and the new world-class testing facility, boosting India’s defence R&D capabilities.