DRDO LR-AShM Hypersonic Missile: On January 26, during the 77th Republic Day Parade at Kartavya Path, DRDO will show India’s powerful Long-Range Anti-Ship Hypersonic Glide Missile called LR-AShM. This will be the first time people see this missile in such a big public event.
What Makes LR-AShM Powerful?
The LR-AShM can hit targets up to about 1,500 kilometres away and can reach them in nearly 15 minutes. It flies at very high speed which makes it hard for enemy radars to see it. Because of its design, ship defence systems also find it difficult to stop this missile. It can carry different types of payloads and can destroy all kinds of warships. DRDO has fully developed this missile in India as part of its work on hypersonic glide and hypersonic cruise missile programmes. In the future newer versions may reach ranges close to 3,500 kilometres.
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Project Director A Prasad Goud explained the importance of the missile by saying, “This will increase India’s capability in the ocean waters. DRDO is working on hypersonic glide missile technology and hypersonic cruise missile technology,” and also added, “This missile is being developed by DRDO for the requirements of the Indian Navy. Its basic advantage is that it is hypersonic, so enemy radars cannot detect it. Its range is about 1500 Km and can carry different payloads, then defeat the warheads on ships deployed in the ocean. It travels at hypersonic speed and high aerodynamic efficiency.”
Because the missile can pass radar without being noticed, India’s Navy can now target enemy ships, coastal bases, island areas, and important sea locations from far away. A Defence Security Asia report said India has now joined a small group of countries like the United States, Russia, and China that have a hypersonic anti-ship strike system.
#DRDO‘s LR-AShM has a top speed of Mach 10 & average speed of Mach 5. pic.twitter.com/3AmSgLYzzn
— News IADN (@NewsIADN) January 22, 2026
How It Will Be Used?
At first, the LR-AShM will be placed on mobile launchers fixed on trucks. This helps the missile move fast, stay safe, and surprise the enemy. Later, DRDO plans to make versions that can be launched from ships, submarines, and aircraft.
According to Defence Security Asia, “From a military deterrence perspective, LR-AShM compresses enemy response time from tens of minutes to just a few minutes, thus forcing opposing naval planners to confront a new threat environment where traditional layered air defence architectures risk becoming structurally inadequate.” The report also said Defence Ministry sources confirmed the missile uses ‘Made in India’ sensors to hit moving targets at the last stage. The missile flies low and very fast which helps it avoid enemy radars.
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Explaining how it works, the report stated, “After booster separation, the hypersonic glide vehicle re-enters the upper atmosphere at a shallow angle while maintaining speeds in excess of Mach 5 and potentially approaching Mach 10 — which is around 12,000 kilometres per hour — while using aerodynamic lift to extend horizontal flight range. This design allows the missile to traverse its full operational range of around 1,500 kilometres in about 15 minutes, a timeline that drastically limits the sensor-to-firer cycle as well as the adversary’s decision-making capacity.”
Along with the LR-AShM, the Republic Day parade will also show other Indian defence systems like the Dhanush Gun System, Akash (L) Launcher, Suryastra Universal Rocket Launcher System, and Akash missiles. Around 10,000 special guests such as innovators, researchers, start-ups, and top performers will attend the event.
They will also visit the National War Memorial and PM Sangrahalay.
