Context:
Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) conducted test from the Integrated Test Range (ITR), Chandipur on the eastern coast.
Indigenous Technology Cruise Missile:
- Developed by – Aeronautical Development Establishment (ADE) of DRDO.
- A long-range subsonic cruise missile powered by an indigenous propulsion system.
- Propulsion system is developed by – Gas Turbine Research Establishment.
Cruise missiles:
- Unmanned vehicles that remain within the atmosphere and can fly as low as a few meters off the ground.
- Types –
- Subsonic Cruise missiles: Travel at less than Mach 1.
- Supersonic Cruise missiles: Travelling at supersonic speeds (Mach 1 to 5).
- Hypersonic Cruise missiles: Travels at speeds greater than Mach 5 powered using scramjet engines
Comparison between ballistic and cruise missiles:
| Cruise Missile | Ballistic Missile | |
| Guidance System | A cruise missile is guided towards a preset land-based target using a navigation system. | A ballistic missile is generally a projectile shot up in the atmosphere. |
| Flight Path | Cruise missiles are known for low altitude flight and high mobility. | Ballistic missiles are launched outside the atmosphere where its warheads detach and hit the target. They use the gravity of earth and thus trace a parabolic path. |
| Range | Cruise missiles have short ranges of 300 to 1000 km (e.g., Brahmos – 290 to 450 km, Nirbhay – 700 to 1000 km). | Ballistic missiles have long ranges up to 1000 km (e.g., ICBMs like Agni V – 5000 km). |
| Interception Difficulty | Easy to intercept because of high terminal speeds. | Difficult to intercept due to high terminal speeds of 5000 m/s. |
| Precision | High precision due to navigation system. | Low precision. |
| Cost and Suitability | Cheaper and thus suitable for firing conventional warheads. | Expensive and thus suitable for firing nuclear warheads. |
Aeronautical Development Establishment (ADE):
- Location – Bengaluru
- A key Aeronautical Systems Design House
- Functions –
- Provides state-of-the-art inertial and Global Navigation Satellite System sensors for the UAV flight control and guidance.
- Involves in the design and development of state-of-the-art Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAV) and Aeronautical Systems and technologies.
- Major activities –
- ABHYAS: High-speed Expendable Aerial Target (HEAT).
- Rustom-1: 1st Indian Remotely Piloted Aircraft System to have conventional take-off and landing capabilities.
Source: The Hindu
Previous Year Question
Consider the following statements:
1. Ballistic missiles are jet-propelled at subsonic speeds throughout their flights, while cruise missiles are rocket-powered only in the initial phase of flight.
2. Agni-V is a medium-range supersonic cruise missile, while BrahMos is a solid-fuelled intercontinental ballistic missile.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
[UPSC Civil Services Exam – 2023 Prelims]
(a) 1 only
(b) 2 only
(c) Both 1 and 2
(d) Neither 1 nor 2
Answer: (d)
Explanation:
Statement 1 is not correct:
Ballistic missiles are rocket-powered only in the initial phase of flight, while cruise missiles are jet-propelled at subsonic speeds throughout their flights.
Statement 2 is not correct:
Agni-V is a solid-fuelled intercontinental ballistic missile, while BrahMos is a medium-range supersonic cruise missile.
