A surface launched cruise missile is necessary to undertake warhead delivery in enemy territory with required precision and low probability of detection and interception. A long range (1000+ km) cruise missile, with speeds up to 0.8 Mach and low cost to enable mass launch is planned to be developed. The missile must have independent navigation, multiple types of warheads and suited for land targets

New Delhi: In yet another milestone in cruise missile technology, India successfully flight-tested Indigenous Technology Cruise Missile (ITCM) from a defence facility off Odisha coast on Thursday.

Designed and developed by Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), the missile with turbofan engine MANIK was test-fired from launching complex-III of the Integrated Test Range (ITR).

The test demonstrated reliable performance of the indigenous propulsion system developed by Gas Turbine Research Establishment (GTRE), Bangalore. Along with the propulsion system, all subsystems were validated during the developmental trial.

ITCM is a technology demonstrator program, which has been launched to validate the capability of Made-in-India small turbo fan engine, upgraded radio frequency seekers, and other subsystems developed for the indigenous cruise missile.

Equipped with the new turbo fan engine, defence sources said, the missile was tested in full operational configuration. The propulsion system performed very well and the missile reached the desired cruise altitude as expected. The flight of the missile was monitored from Sukhoi Su-30MKI aircraft of the Indian Air Force. The missile has various sensor capabilities like Digital Scene Matching Area Correlator (DSMAC), Data link, NavIC, etc.

"The missile followed the desired path using way point navigation and demonstrated very low altitude sea-skimming flight. The performance was monitored by several range sensors like radar, electro optical tracking system and telemetry deployed by ITR at different locations to ensure complete coverage of the flight path," sources said.

It achieved second consecutive success after a failed attempt on October 28, 2022 as the system developed a snag in the engine after separation of the booster stage. Fitted with an upgraded radio frequency seeker and MANIK engine, the missile was test fired successfully on February 21, 2023.

MANIK indigenous turbofan engine
Based on the subsonic cruise missile Nirbhay, the ITCM is also equipped with advanced avionics and software to ensure better and reliable performance. The missile has been developed by Bangalore-based Aeronautical Development Establishment (ADE), a lab of DRDO, along with contributions from other laboratories and Indian industries. The two-stage ICTM is six-metre long and weighs around 1.5 tonne. It can cruise at a speed of 0.9 Mach and strike targets at a distance of up to 1,000 km. The missile will supplement the Indo-Russian joint venture supersonic cruise missile BrahMos.

DRDO chairman Samir V Kamat congratulated the entire team for the successful mission. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said successful development of the indigenous long range subsonic cruise missile powered by indigenous propulsion is a major milestone for Indian defence R&D.

(With Agency Inputs)