India’s DRDO Sets up Hypersonic Wind Tunnel

An advanced Hypersonic Wind Tunnel (HWT) test facility was inaugurated at the Defence Research and Research Organization (DRDO) in Hyderabad on Saturday.

The HWT Test facility is a pressure vacuum driven enclosed free jet facility having nozzle exit diameter of 1 meter and will simulate Mach No 5 to 12 (Mach represents the multiplication factor to the speed of sound).

The facility has the capability to simulate hypersonic flow over a wide spectrum and will play a major role in the realization of highly complex futuristic aerospace and defence systems.

After USA and Russia, India is the third country to have such a large facility in terms of size and operating capability. It is an indigenous development and an outcome of synergistic partnership with Indian industries, a DRDO release said.

The facility underscores DRDO’s plans of developing  hypersonic missiles and aircraft including the advanced medium combat aircraft (AMCA) a stealth aircraft.

Indian defence minister Rajnath Singh who inaugurated the facility was also shown two anti-drone technologies. DRDO Young Scientists’ Laboratory - Asymmetric Technologies (DYSL-AT) and RCI demonstrated drone and innovative anti-drone technologies.

It has multiple capabilities including neutralizing ground targets and anti-drone applications to counter stationery as well as high-speed moving targets. Key features of the weapon system include secure communication link, effective recoil management system, high firing angular resolution and vision-based target detection and tracking.

The foundation stone of Explosive Test Facility for Propellant and Explosive Systems was also laid. This facility will be used for design validation and evaluation of missile sub-systems under different environmental conditions.

The defence minister addressed the DRDO fraternity and applauded the technological achievements and recent series of successful missions.

These include: Hypersonic Technology Demonstration Vehicle (HSTDV), Anti-Radiation Missile (RUDRAM), Quick Reaction Surface to Air Missile (QRSAM), Supersonic Missile Assisted Release Torpedo (SMART) and Quantum Key Distribution (QKD) technology during last six months.