DRDO Successfully Tests Solid Fuel Ducted Ramjet Engine Off Odisha Coast

The Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) on Tuesday successfully demonstrated Solid Fuel Ducted Ramjet (SFDR) technology from the Integrated Test Range (ITR) at Chandipur, off the Odisha coast.

The test, conducted at around 10:45 am, places India among a select group of nations possessing this advanced propulsion capability, which is critical for the development of long-range air-to-air missiles and offers a significant tactical advantage.

During the flight, all major subsystems of the missile — including the nozzle-less booster, the solid fuel ducted ramjet motor and the fuel flow controller — performed as expected. The missile was initially accelerated to the required Mach speed using a ground booster, after which the SFDR propulsion system took over. Flight performance was validated using data from multiple tracking instruments deployed along the Bay of Bengal coastline.

The launch was monitored by senior scientists from several DRDO laboratories, including the Defence Research and Development Laboratory, High Energy Materials Research Laboratory, Research Centre Imarat and ITR.

Secretary, Department of Defence R&D and DRDO Chairman Dr Samir V Kamat congratulated the teams involved in the successful demonstration. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh also lauded DRDO and the Indian defence industry for the achievement, calling it a significant milestone in strengthening India’s indigenous missile capabilities.