India unveils its Long-Range Anti-Ship Missile (LR-AShM), a hypersonic weapon designed to counter China's naval expansion, with a range of 900 miles.
India has joined the hypersonic missile club with the unveiling of its Long-Range Anti-Ship Missile (LR-AShM), reports Fort Lauderdale's Maritime Executive.
Unlike the American LRASM cruise missile, India's LR-AShM combines the speed of an anti-ship ballistic missile with a hypersonic maneuvering body.
The weapon launches vertically, reaches Mach 10, and then follows a complex trajectory to strike targets up to 900 miles away. Such missiles are often conceived as anti-carrier munitions, designed to destroy large naval targets before they can launch strikes.
India's defense planners see the missile as a counter to China's expanding PLA Navy, which is building what may become the world's largest aircraft carrier. A nuclear-armed variant for ground targets in western China is also envisioned.
The LR-AShM is scheduled to enter service with Indian Navy coastal batteries by 2029, with adaptations for sea and air launch expected later. Further research could extend its range beyond 2,000 miles, enough to reach the Strait of Malacca or the Gulf of Aden from the Indian mainland.
