India conducts second test of long-range hypersonic anti-ship missile off Odisha coast

Exam-focused facts from the 4 May 2026 current affairs briefing.

Key facts

The Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) successfully conducted the second flight test of its long-range hypersonic anti-ship missile (LR-AShM) off the Odisha coast.
The missile has a strike range exceeding 1,500 km and attains speeds up to Mach 10, with an average speed of Mach 5 during its glide phase.
The second trial focused on validating the LR-AShM's two-stage hypersonic glide vehicle configuration.
The LR-AShM can carry multiple payloads and strike both stationary and moving targets using indigenously developed sensors for precision targeting.
The missile programme was developed by laboratories under the Dr APJ Abdul Kalam Missile Complex in Hyderabad in collaboration with multiple DRDO labs and industry partners.