Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) successfully tests Solid Fuel Ducted Ramjet (SFDR) technology

Key facts

• The Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) successfully demonstrated the Solid Fuel Ducted Ramjet (SFDR) technology from the Integrated Test Range (ITR), Chandipur, off the coast of Odisha.
• The SFDR technology was developed by the Defence Research and Development Laboratory (DRDL), Hyderabad, in collaboration with the Research Centre Imarat (RCI), Hyderabad, and the High Energy Materials Research Laboratory (HEMRL), Pune.
• The 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.
• The system relies on high forward speed to compress incoming air, eliminating the need for a compressor and enabling efficient high-speed flight at supersonic speeds.
• Unlike conventional rockets, the SFDR does not carry an oxidiser, which makes the propulsion system lighter and more efficient for long-range air-to-air missiles.
• The flight test validated several subsystems including a nozzle-less booster, the SFDR motor, and a fuel flow controller after being initially propelled by a ground booster motor.
• The technology provides sustained thrust over a longer duration and allows for thrust modulation during flight to intercept aerial threats at very long ranges.
• The use of solid fuel instead of liquid fuel in the SFDR system makes it simpler, safer, and easier to store and transport.