Solid Fuel Ducted Ramjet (SFDR)

Dark Sorrow

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DRDO tests Solid Fuel Ducted Ramjet technology

he test was carried out at around 10.30 a.m. from the integrated test range (ITR) launch platform at Chandipur


The Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) on Friday successfully carried out a flight demonstration based on Solid Fuel Ducted Ramjet (SFDR) technology from Integrated Test Range (ITR) Chandipur off the coast of Odisha.
“Successful demonstration of SFDR technology has provided DRDO with a technological advantage, which will enable it to develop long range air-to-air missiles,” a DRDO statement said. “At present, such technology is available only with a handful of countries in the world.”
Stating that all the subsystems, including the booster motor and nozzle-less motor, performed as expected during the test, DRDO stated that many new technologies were proven, including SFDR technology.
During the test, air launch scenario was simulated using a booster motor and subsequently, the nozzle-less booster accelerated it to the required Mach number for Ramjet operation, the statement explained.

The performance of the missile was monitored using the data captured by electro optical, radar and telemetry instruments deployed by ITR and confirmed successful demonstration of the mission objectives.

Third stealth frigate
Separately, the Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers Limited (GRSE), Kolkata, carried out keel laying for the third stealth frigate for the Navy under Project-17A.
The ₹19,293 crore contract for three stealth frigates under P-17A was the largest ever order to GRSE from the Defence Ministry. The keel laying for the first frigate, INS Himgiri, was done on November 10, 2018 and the frigate was launched on December 14, 2020.

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gutenmorgen

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Whats most important is, the speed during terminal phase. Hopefully it will be mach 4+.
 

Dark Sorrow

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India Tests SFDR Technology Critical For Development Of Long Range Air-To-Air Missiles

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The Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) tested its Solid Fueled Ducted Ramjet (SFDR) technology for the fourth time with a demonstration flight earlier today, Livefist has reported.
The development of SFDR technology will enable India to make its own long-range air-to-air missile, which could mirror the capabilities of the best missiles in this class, like MBDA’s Meteor, which the Indian Air Force uses on its Rafales.
The last test of the technology was conducted in March 2021. The test, DRDO said back then, helped prove many technologies and sub-systems, including the ground booster motor and nozzle less motor.
"Successful demonstration of Solid Fuel based Ducted Ramjet technology has provided DRDO with a technological advantage which will enable it to develop long range air-to-air missiles. At present, such technology is available only with a handful of countries in the world. During the test, air launch scenario was simulated using a booster motor. Subsequently, the nozzle-less booster accelerated it to the required Mach number for Ramjet operation," the Ministry of Defence had said in a statement released after the test.
India has been working on the Mark-II version of home grown Astra air-to-air missile, which will have a range of around 160 kilometer. The SFDR propulsion system, which was also tested in 2019, is critical for the missile’s performance in the terminal phase of its flight towards the target.
The Meteor missile also depends on its ramjet propulsion for “more energy to maneuver during the endgame of the engagement”.
“The ramjet motor [propulsion system] provides the [Meteor] missile with thrust all the way to target intercept, providing the largest No-Escape Zone of any air-to-air missile,” the literature on the missile on MBAD website reads.
While the DRDO’s plan for Astra Mark-II is to mirror the performance of MBDA’s Meteor missile, it may take a few more years to reach there, experts say.
The development of the Astra missile began in 2001.
The Mark-I version of the missile was tested for the first time in May 2003. Since then, Astra Mark-I has been test-fired multiple times, and has been integrated with Su-30 MKI. In September 2019, the missile, test-fired from an Su-30MKI of the IAF, hit a target 90 kilometer away. The air-to-air missile has already been ordered in large numbers for the Indian Air Force and the Indian Navy.

 

Super Flanker

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SFDR is projected to use ramjet propulsion like on the one used by Europen Meteor. The main feature of meteor is it's ability to throttle back which helps it getting a longer rage even while travelling at High mach speeds. The same will be employed by the SFDR with respect to it's propulsion technology. This is what gives meteor its long range and Higher pk value as compared to missiles such as AIM-120, R-77, SD-10, Astra mk-1 which all use conversation rocket motor to propel them.
Test was ground based or air launched?
Last year in April, they had tested SFDR at the Integrated Test Range (ITR), Chandipur off the coast of Odisha. It was a ground based launch, I am hinting towards the December lauch of this year to be ground based too unless they have modified a Su-30MKI to be able to carry the missile on one of its pylon.
 

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