DRDO Unveils LR-AShM Hypersonic Glide Missile at 77th Republic Day Parade

DRDO showcases the LR-AShM hypersonic glide missile system and its launcher at the 77th Republic Day parade, marking its first public appearance. The indigenously developed system is designed for the Indian Navy’s coastal defence and is relevant now due to its debut as a hypersonic maritime strike capability.

LR-AShM (Long-Range Anti-Ship Missile) Hypersonic Glide Missile System:

Dimension	Key Details
Developer	Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO)
System name and type	LR-AShM, a hypersonic glide missile
Primary user	Indian Navy
Requirement	Coastal battery requirements and anti-ship coastal defence
Deployment mode	Designed for land-based deployment
Speed threshold	Vehicles that travel at speeds greater than Mach 5
Trajectory characteristics	Low and manoeuvrable trajectory
Detection	Detection and interception being extremely difficult due to speed and trajectory
Operational utility	Rapid response against hostile naval assets approaching India’s coastline
Key features	High speed, precision, survivability, manoeuvrability to evade modern air defence systems, and capability to engage high-value naval targets with high accuracy
Coastal defence	Enhancing the Indian Navy’s coastal defence and sea-denial capabilities upon induction
Indian Ocean Region	Deterring hostile naval movements in the Indian Ocean Region
Assets protected	Protecting critical maritime infrastructure, ports, and sea lanes when deployed as part of coastal batteries
Indigenous development	Strengthening self-reliance under India’s defence indigenisation push
Modern warfare	Shift due to speed, unpredictability, and precision
Global status	Only a handful of countries currently possessing operational hypersonic capabilities