Solid Fuel Ducted Ramjet Booster

• 09 Apr 2022

Why in News?

Recently, India successfully flight tested Solid Fuel Ducted Ramjet (SFDR) Booster, a missile system, at the Integrated Test Range (ITR) in Chandipur off the Odisha coast.

• The Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) began developing SFDR first in 2017 and had conducted successful tests in 2018 and 2019 as well.

What is SFDR?

• About:
  
  • It is a missile propulsion technology jointly developed by India and Russia.
  • SFDR technology is a missile propulsion system based on the concept of Ramjet Engine principle.
    
    • A 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.
    • In a ramjet, the high pressure is produced by "ramming" external air into the combustor using the forward speed of the vehicle. The external air that is brought into the propulsion system becomes the working fluid.
    • Ramjets produce thrust only when the vehicle is already moving, ramjets cannot produce thrust when the engine is stationary or static. 
  • The system utilises a solid fuelled air-breathing ramjet engine.
    • Unlike solid-propellant rockets, the Ramjet takes up oxygen from the atmosphere during flight. Thus, it is light in weight and can carry more fuel.
  • The SFDR has been developed by Defence Research and Development Laboratory, Hyderabad in collaboration with other DRDO laboratories such as Research Centre Imarat, Hyderabad and High Energy Materials Research Laboratory, Pune.

• Significance:
  
  • It enables the missile to intercept aerial threats at very long range at supersonic speeds.
  • At present, such technology is available only with a handful of countries in the world.
  • Air-to-air missiles which use SFDR technology can achieve longer ranges as they do not require oxidisers (take oxygen from the atmosphere).
  • The missile based on SFDR fly at supersonic speeds and high manoeuvrability ensures the target aircraft cannot get away.

What is the Defence Research and Development Organisation?

• About:
  
  • DRDO works under the administrative control of the Ministry of Defence, Government of India.
  • It is working to establish a world class science and technology base for India and provides Defence Services decisive edge by equipping them with internationally competitive systems and solutions.
  • It was established in 1958 after combining the Technical Development Establishment (TDEs) of the Indian Army and the Directorate of Technical Development & Production (DTDP) with the Defence Science Organisation (DSO).
  • It is responsible for carrying out the Integrated Guided Missile Development Programme (IGMDP).
• Some of the recent tests conducted by DRDO:
  • Helina and Dhruvastra: Anti-tank Guided Missile
  • Smart Anti Airfield Weapon
  • Army Variant of MRSAM
  • Land-attack Version of BrahMos Missile
  • Quick Reaction Surface-to-Air Missile System
  • Enhanced Version of Pinaka Mk-1 Missile
  • NAG Missile: Anti Tank Guided Missile

UPSC Civil Services Examination, Previous Year Questions (PYQs)

Q. With reference to Agni-IV Missile, which of the following statements is/are correct? (2014)

1. It is a surface-to-surface missile.
2. It is fuelled by liquid propellant only.
3. It can deliver one-tonne nuclear warheads about 7500 km away.

Select the correct answer using the code given below:

(a) 1 only
(b) 2 and 3 only
(c) 1 and 3 only
(d) 1, 2 and 3

Ans: (a)

• Agni-IV is a nuclear-capable long-range ballistic missile of India, with a strike range of 4,000 km.

Source: IE