Solid Fuel Ducted Ramjet (SFDR)
What is the News?
- Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) successfully flight tested the second indigenously developed ‘Solid Fuel Ducted Ramjet (SFDR)’ propulsion based missile system from Odisha.
- The success of SFDR propulsion technology is a significant milestone and will pave the way for the development of long-range air-to-air missiles in the country.
What is Ramjet?
- Ramjet is a form of air-breathing jet engine that uses the vehicle’s forward motion to compress incoming air for combustion without a rotating compressor.
- Ramjets can be particularly useful in applications requiring a small and simple mechanism for high-speed use, such as missiles.
About SFDR
- It is a missile propulsion technology jointly developed by India and Russia.
- It will help both India’s surface-to-air and air-to-air missiles to perform better and enhance their strike range, making them more lethal.
How it is different from Conventional Missiles?
- SFDR propulsion technology is different from conventional solid fueled or liquid fueled missiles.
- Lot of conventional missiles uses booster or sustainer configuration with solid or liquid propellants, which have limitations against manoeuvring target.
- The minimal stage of conventional missiles cannot provide enough energy to maintain their speed in order to hit targets.
- SDFR technology removes this drawback by exceptionally enhancing endgame manoeuvrability of missile at terminal stage when its seeker is locked onto target.