Hypersonic reusable missile next: Pillai
VISAKHAPATNAM: After successfully testing and absorbing into the defence system the world leader — 290-km range BrahMos supersonic cruise missile — India is all set to develop a more advanced hypersonic reusable missile, which will go to target, deliver the warhead (attack the target) and return to the base.
"We are studying the project and the missile system, when developed, could cruise to the enemy's target at a maximum speed of mach-4," said A. Sivathanu Pillai, BrahMos Aerospace Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director. He was addressing students of the Andhra University College of Engineering on "Indian Aerospace Programme - present and future." Mach is the speed of sound and one Mach is approximately 1,238 km per hour at sea level (the speed of sound depends upon the atmosphere through which it travels).
While BrahMos is the supersonic cruise missile, which travels at 2.8-3 Mach, the new missile may travel at 4 Mach, which is why it is called hypersonic.
Dr. Pillai said there were plans to develop hyper planes for defence forces, which could travel four times faster than sound.