LR-AShM: India’s Hypersonic Answer to Carrier Strike Groups

Photo credit: AIR

The DRDO is set to display its most lethal non-strategic missile to date—an aircraft-carrier killer—during this year’s Republic Day parade. The Long Range Anti-Shipping Missile (LR-AShM) is a hypersonic missile being developed to arm Indian Navy (IN) coastal batteries. It is designed to ensure that no carrier group—US or Chinese—can approach within 1,500 km of the Indian coastline in an attempt to exert military pressure on the nation. Currently, IN coastal batteries are armed with BrahMos missiles.

According to the MoD press release, the missile follows a quasi-ballistic trajectory. It achieves hypersonic speeds starting at Mach 10, maintaining an average speed of around Mach 5.0 through a “multiple-skip” manoeuvre.

A quasi-ballistic trajectory differs from a ballistic trajectory. In the latter, the missile follows a largely predictable flight path. In contrast, a quasi-ballistic trajectory is inherently unpredictable. Equally important, such a trajectory allows the missile to fly at relatively low altitudes, evading detection by ground- or ship-based radars during much of its flight. The missile’s extreme speed and manoeuvrability further complicate interception.

The LR-AShM has been indigenously developed by laboratories of the Dr APJ Abdul Kalam Missile Complex, Hyderabad, along with several other DRDO laboratories and industry partners.

Terminal Guidance

An anti-shipping missile carrying a conventional warhead requires extremely precise terminal guidance, given that an aircraft carrier is a fast-moving and manoeuvring target.

Typically, a long-range missile intended to strike a moving target employs a dual-mode seeker combining Active Radar Homing (ARH) and Imaging Infrared (IIR) guidance. ARH enables target acquisition and tracking in all weather and lighting conditions, while IIR facilitates target discrimination in clear weather, allowing the missile to distinguish the carrier from other warships in the strike group.

Without specifying the nature of the terminal guidance, the MoD press release states:

“Indigenously developed sensors are provided for engaging moving targets in the terminal phase.”

DRDO developed and refined its ARH capability through the BrahMos programme, particularly the land-attack variant. Similarly, it honed its IIR homing capability while developing advanced variants of its Anti-Tank Guided Missiles (ATGMs).

Maiden Test

The Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) conducted a successful flight trial of India’s first long-range hypersonic missile from Dr APJ Abdul Kalam Island, off the coast of Odisha, on November 16, 2024.

At the time of its maiden test, the MoD release referred to the LR-AShM simply as the Long Range Hypersonic Missile (LR-HM).

Missile Launch Video Analysis

DRDO released a video of the maiden test. The following observations are based on that footage.

As the missile emerged from its container following a cold launch, it appeared to employ its attitude-control thrusters twice before first-stage solid-rocket-motor ignition.

The missile transitioned from a vertical to a horizontal trajectory in roughly six seconds, beginning about eight seconds after liftoff. This early transition suggests the missile is designed to fly within the atmosphere for the entire duration of its flight.

The missile’s physical configuration indicates a two-stage solid-propellant design.

The first stage functions as a booster. The second stage is the hypersonic sustainer, featuring cruciform, short-span, long-chord aerodynamic surfaces along the mid-body and four short triangular fins at the aft section. The mid-body surfaces likely provide manoeuvrability and flight control, while the aft fins contribute to stability.

According to the MoD press release, the missile

“features a two-stage solid propulsion system. The first stage separates after burnout, while the second stage boosts the vehicle to hypersonic speeds before transitioning into an unpowered glide to the target.”

At hypersonic velocities, the cruciform configuration can reduce drag compared to planar wing designs.

Future Development

As stated in the MoD press release, the missile will initially be deployed with coastal batteries. A logical progression would be upgrades enabling deployment aboard IN warships and, eventually, submarines. Such deployment would push adversary carrier groups well beyond 1,500 km from India’s coastline.

The demonstrated cold-launch capability from a container strongly suggests eventual deployment on ships and potentially on future submarines.

YJ-20

China fields several ballistic missiles with hypersonic warheads capable of anti-shipping strikes, including the DF-21D (1,500 km, Mach 10), DF-26 (4,000 km, Mach 10+), DF-17 (1,800–2,500 km, Mach 5–10), and DF-27 (5,000–8,000 km, Mach 5+).

Because ballistic missiles follow relatively predictable trajectories, they can be intercepted by ship-borne air-defence systems within a carrier group.

More recently, China has fielded hypersonic quasi-ballistic anti-ship missiles, notably the YJ-20 and YJ-21, capable of launch from air, surface, and undersea platforms.

Chinese state media released footage showing a YJ-20 launch from the PLAN Type 055 destroyer Wuxi on December 28, 2025.

The YJ-20 cruises at speeds exceeding Mach 6, has a reported range of 1,500 km, and reaches terminal speeds of Mach 10. It is compact enough for air launch from the H-6K bomber and vertical launch from Type 052D and Type 055 destroyers. It may also be deployable from both nuclear- and diesel-electric-powered submarines.

Russia’s Zircon is another hypersonic anti-shipping missile deployable from ships and submarines; however, it is a scramjet-powered cruise missile, not a boost-glide system.

YJ-20 and LR-AShM Comparison

There are notable similarities between the LR-AShM and the YJ-20.

Both are hypersonic boost-glide systems designed for anti-ship roles. However, the YJ-20 employs biconic aerodynamics, likely enhancing manoeuvrability.

Both have publicly stated ranges of around 1,500 km, though actual operational ranges are likely higher.

Both achieve Mach 5+ speeds with high terminal velocities, attack targets in a near-vertical dive, and present significant interception challenges.

Conclusion

Despite its prominent display during the Republic Day parade, the LR-AShM remains in an early stage of development. It may take several years before DRDO can demonstrate the accuracy required to reliably cripple a manoeuvring aircraft carrier using a conventional warhead.

Given its intended deployment with coastal batteries, fitting a nuclear warhead is unlikely, even though the MoD press release notes that the missile “is designed to carry various payloads.”

Copyright © Vijainder K Thakur. First published on Thumkar.

Russia Poised to Unleash Three New Air-Launched Missiles on Ukraine

Representative Image of a Tu-22M bomber. Credit RuMoD.

A Ukrainian Telegram channel has reported that Russian forces are poised to operationally deploy three new air-launched cruise missiles. Two of these missiles are designed for launch by strategic bombers, while one can be launched by both bombers and heavy fighters.

The missiles expected to begin targeting Ukrainian forces are:

1. Kh-BD

2. Kh-95

3. Kh-MTsh

All three missiles reportedly feature exclusively Russian-made components and incorporate no foreign parts.

Kh-BD

The Kh-BD is a high subsonic (≈900 km/h), long-range (≈3,000 km) cruise missile developed for use by the Tu-160M2 supersonic bomber.

Development of the Kh-BD reportedly began in August 2013, following the signing of a contract between the Russian Ministry of Defence (RuMoD) and Raduga Co. for a cruise missile under Project Romans. Under the contract, Raduga was to begin flight testing in 2018 and complete state acceptance trials in 2020.

The missile was to be produced at a facility in Smolensk, where Raduga manufactures Kh-101/Kh-102 (Product 504) cruise missiles used by Tu-160 and Tu-95MS bombers, at a rate of approximately three missiles per month.

The Kh-BD has never been publicly displayed. Like the Kh-101, it is likely to incorporate radar low-observable shaping. Given its longer range, the Kh-BD is expected to be significantly longer than the 7.45 m Kh-101.

The Soviet-era Tu-160 was originally designed to carry the Kh-45 missile (later abandoned), which had a length of 10.8 m. Its internal weapons bays therefore have the capacity to carry missiles longer than the Kh-101.

According to Izvestia, the Kh-BD has also been integrated with the modernised Tu-95MSM long-range strategic bomber.

The extended range of the Kh-BD offers a significant operational advantage, as launch platforms can remain well outside the detection and tracking range of NATO airborne ISR assets. After launch, the low-observable missile would evade detection by flying a terrain-hugging profile.

By contrast, the shorter-ranged Kh-101 must be launched closer to Ukrainian territory, often while launch platforms remain within NATO tracking range. Once tracked at launch, adversary radars can extrapolate missile positions even if tracks are later lost due to terrain masking.

Tu-160M Bomber Refueling

Kh-95

In August 2021, Vladimir Zarudnitsky, head of the Academy of the General Staff of Russia, stated in an interview that Russia was developing a new long-range hypersonic missile designated Kh-95, to be carried by the Tu-22M3M and Tu-160M strategic bombers.

The missile’s range remains undisclosed. However, based on the 4,500 km range of the nuclear-armed Kh-102 stealth cruise missile, some sources estimate the Kh-95’s range could reach up to 5,000 km.

A missile with such extraordinary range would allow its launch platform to remain well outside the engagement envelope of even the most advanced air defence systems. The Tu-160M would effectively gain intercontinental strike reach without relying on stealth.

Kh-MTsh

On March 14, 2023, Russian Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu visited the headquarters of Tactical Missiles Corporation (KTRV) near Moscow, accompanied by Deputy Defence Minister Alexey Krivoruchko, who oversees procurement. The delegation was escorted by KTRV CEO Boris Obnosov.

RuMoD released video footage of the visit showing Shoigu urging plant personnel to double production of air-launched weapons to meet the demands of Russian forces engaged in the special military operation in Ukraine.

Notably, Shoigu stated:

“We hope that the commitments you have made … for 2023, 2024, and for the entire program will be fulfilled and, in addition to what we already have, there will be a new product that … the armed forces of other countries do not have.”

The “new product” Shoigu alluded to may be the missile Obnosov referenced in a June 2021 interview with TASS. At the time, Obnosov stated that KTRV was conducting “research and development work to create a new-generation high-speed anti-ship missile with increased range and speed, with improved jamming resistance.”

Obnosov made the remark while responding to a question on the future of the Kh-31 missile, which flies at speeds up to Mach 3.5 and has a range of about 250 km.

“This advanced model will complement the existing range of air-launched weapons created by KTRV,” Obnosov said.

His use of the word complement suggests he was referring to a longer-range missile with enhanced speed and electronic warfare resistance.

According to Aviation Week, the Kh-MTsh would be capable of engaging maritime, ground, and large airborne targets such as AWACS and aerial tankers. The missile is expected to be compatible with both fighter and bomber platforms.

Guidance would reportedly combine active and passive radar, possibly supplemented by an infrared sensor for terminal homing. Such multi-mode guidance would allow launches without precise target coordinates, even in heavy electronic warfare environments.

The missile’s trajectory would be programmable. It could execute a steep climb to 30–35 km altitude, dive onto the target at a 70–80° angle, and then transition to a nap-of-the-earth flight profile at 3–5 m altitude during the terminal phase.

Conclusion

Notably, all three missiles were in development well before the start of the war in Ukraine. When they were conceived, exclusive reliance on Russian components was likely not a top priority. Deployment delays may therefore have resulted from a post-2022 shift in priorities driven by Western sanctions.

Interestingly, some Ukrainian sources view the forced reliance on Russian components as a blessing, assuming that it will result in reduced accuracy—an assumption that remains unproven.

Update

A RIA Novosti report on January 12 appeared to confirm the introduction of the above new missiles. Russia's First Deputy Prime Minister, Denis Manturov, in a meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin, said, "In the near future, we also plan, literally this quarter, to demonstrate an additional number (of new and modernized models of military equipment)."

Copyright © Vijainder K Thakur. First published on Thumkar.