DRDO R-Day tableau to showcase hypersonic missile, submarine-based defence system
New Delhi, Jan 22
Focusing on Naval technologies, the DRDO will showcase its innovations, including a hypersonic missile, for national security during the 77th Republic Day Parade at Kartavya Path and Bharat Parv 2026, an official said on Thursday.
The theme of the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) tableau is 'Naval Technologies for Combat Submarines', said a Defence Ministry official.
The Organisation's display will focus on indigenously developed technologies/systems which act as a force multiplier for conventional submarines of the Indian Navy. These systems are Integrated Combat Suite (ICS), Wire Guided Heavy Weight Torpedo (WGHWT) and Air Independent Propulsion, which will ensure combat supremacy in the underwater domain.
The DRDO will showcase LR-AShM with a launcher during the parade. This weapon system is designed to meet the coastal battery requirements of the Indian Navy. The LR-AShM is a Hypersonic Glide Missile capable of engaging static and moving targets and is designed to carry various payloads, said an official statement.
The missile is a first-of-its-kind with indigenous avionics systems and high-accuracy sensor packages, it said.
This hypersonic missile follows a quasi-ballistic trajectory with hypersonic speeds starting at Mach 10 and maintaining an average Mach 5.0 with multiple skips. Indigenously developed sensors are provided for engaging the moving targets in the terminal phase, it said.
As this missile flies at low altitude with high speed and manoeuvrability, enemy ground and ship-based radars cannot detect this missile during most of its trajectory, said the Ministry.
The LR-AShM is configured with a two-stage solid propulsion rocket motor system. These propulsion systems boost the missile to the required hypersonic velocities. Stage-1 of the vehicle is separated after it is spent. After Stage-II burnout, the vehicle performs an unpowered glide with required manoeuvres in the atmosphere before engaging the target.
This year, the DRDO tableau will be showcased at Bharat Parv at Red Fort from January 26 to 31, 2026.
The ICS is the new generation submarine-based defence system vital for underwater warfare and anti-submarine operations. It is a system of systems that gives unparalleled situational awareness by providing the threat picture to make tactical decisions and actions like weapon selection, launch and guidance.
The ICS is a collaborative effort from eight DRDO laboratories with active involvement of about 150 major industry partners and MSMEs across India.
The WGHWT is a state-of-the-art submarine-launched torpedo to counter contemporary ship & submarine threats in oceanic waters
The AIP is for long underwater endurance of submarines, thus enhancing the stealth. It is powered by a locally developed phosphoric acid fuel cell with a novel onboard hydrogen generator.
The AIP system generates power using the phosphoric acid fuel cells by feeding hydrogen and oxygen, said the statement.
— IANS
Reader Comments
Great to see the focus on naval power. In a country surrounded by water on three sides, strong submarine and coastal defence is non-negotiable. The Air Independent Propulsion for longer stealth is a game-changer.
Impressive specs, no doubt. But I hope this translates into timely induction with the Navy and isn't just a parade showcase. We've seen delays before. The tech collaboration with 150 industry partners is the real positive takeaway here.
The engineering behind this is mind-blowing. A quasi-ballistic trajectory with multiple skips at hypersonic speeds? And it's undetectable to most radars? This is a serious deterrent capability. Well done to all the scientists and engineers.
Atmanirbhar Bharat in action! The phosphoric acid fuel cell for the AIP system is a brilliant indigenous solution. This is how we build strategic autonomy. Can't wait to see the tableau on Kartavya Path.
The Integrated Combat Suite sounds like the brain of the entire operation. Giving submariners unparalleled situational awareness is critical. A respectful salute to the teams across eight DRDO labs who made this possible.
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