Army set to deploy ramjet-powered shells for 155 mm artillery guns
Kartavya Desk Staff
Source: TOI
Subject: Defence Exercise
Context: The Indian Army is set to become the first armed force in the world to operationally deploy ramjet-powered artillery shells for its 155 mm guns.
About Army set to deploy ramjet-powered shells for 155 mm artillery guns:
What it is?
• Ramjet-powered artillery shells are advanced 155 mm projectiles fitted with an air-breathing ramjet propulsion module, allowing them to sustain thrust after being fired from a conventional artillery gun.
Key features:
• Extended range: Enhances the reach of standard 155 mm shells by 30–50% without increasing gun barrel length.
• Compatibility: Can be retrofitted onto existing 155 mm shells, making them usable across the Army’s current artillery inventory, including the M777 ultra-light howitzer.
• High efficiency: Uses air-breathing propulsion, providing a higher specific impulse (>4000 Ns/kg) compared to solid rocket-assisted projectiles.
• Operational flexibility: Enables deeper precision strikes while retaining the destructive power of conventional artillery ammunition.
• Indigenous innovation: Developed jointly by IIT Madras with support from the Army Technology Board (ATB).
About Ramjet technology:
What it is?
• A ramjet is a type of air-breathing jet engine with no moving parts, designed to operate efficiently at supersonic speeds. Unlike rockets, it does not carry its own oxidiser and instead uses atmospheric oxygen for combustion.
How it works?
• The shell is first launched from an artillery gun at ~Mach 2.
• At this speed, incoming air is naturally compressed (ram compression) as it enters the intake.
• Fuel injected into the compressed air ignites, producing thrust.
• The continuous thrust allows the shell to maintain velocity and extend range far beyond conventional ballistic limits.
Significance:
• First-ever practical application of ramjet propulsion in artillery shells.
• Achieves long-range capability without developing entirely new missile systems.
• Enhances India’s deep-strike and counter-battery firepower against adversaries.