DRDO conducts successful test of Solid Fuel Ramjet technology for long range supersonic missiles

“DRDO carried out a successful demonstration of SFDR technology from the Integrated Test Range (ITR), Chandipur off the coast of Odisha at around 10.45 am on February 3, ” a press statement from the Ministry of Defence (MoD) read.

Solid Fuel Ducted Ramjet (SFDR) technology was successfully flight tested from the Integrated Test Range (ITR), Chandipur off the coast of Odisha today. SFDR is very crucial for development of long range Air to Air Missiles pic.twitter.com/66ZwE0micY

— DRDO (@DRDO_India) February 3, 2026

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The SFDR has been developed by Defence Research and Development Laboratory (DRDL), Hyderabad in collaboration with other DRDO laboratories such as Research Centre Imarat (RCI), Hyderabad and High Energy Materials Research Laboratory (HEMRL), Pune.

“All the subsystems including nozzle-less booster, SFDR motor and fuel flow controller performed as per expectations after being initially propelled by a ground booster motor to the desired Mach number (multiples of speed of sound). The performance of the system was confirmed by the flight data captured by a number of tracking instruments deployed by ITR, Chandipur along the coast of Bay of Bengal. The launch was monitored by senior scientists from various laboratories of DRDO including DRDL, HEMRL, RCI and ITR.” the release stated.

SFDR is an advanced air-breathing propulsion system where a solid fuel gas generator produces fuel-rich gases that mix with incoming air and burn in a ramjet combustor. Ramjet is a propulsion system that relies on the missile’s high forward speed to compress incoming air, eliminating the need for a compressor and enabling efficient high-speed flight.

Unlike conventional rockets, SFDR does not carry an oxidiser, making it lighter and more efficient.

DRDO scientists said SFDR provides sustained thrust over a longer duration and allows thrust modulation during flight. SFDR technology significantly enhances long-range air-to-air missiles by providing sustained propulsion throughout much of the missile’s flight. Use of Solid Fuel instead of liquid fuel makes the system simpler, safer, and easier to store and transport. Incoming air is channelled through a duct into the combustion chamber, where it mixes with the fuel gases.

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and DRDO Chairman Dr Samir V Kamat complimented various DRDO teams and industry on the successful demonstration of SFDR technology.