The Aryavarth Express
Chandigarh: The Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) on Tuesday successfully conducted a high-speed rocket-sled test of a fighter aircraft’s escape system at the Rail Track Rocket Sled (RTRS) facility of the Terminal Ballistics Research Laboratory (TBRL) in Chandigarh. The system achieved a controlled speed of 800 km/h, validating critical components including canopy severance, ejection sequencing and complete aircrew recovery.
The test was carried out in collaboration with the Aeronautical Development Agency (ADA) and Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL).
According to the Ministry of Defence, the successful demonstration places India “in an elite group of nations” with advanced in-house capability to test dynamic escape systems.
Dynamic ejection trials are significantly more demanding than standard static tests such as zero-zero or net tests, as they simulate real-world flight conditions to assess the performance of ejection seats and the Canopy Severance System (CSS)—a critical pilot-rescue mechanism used during in-flight and on-ground emergencies.
For Tuesday’s test, the escape system was integrated with the forebody of the Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) Tejas.
A dual-sled configuration was propelled along the track using phased firings of multiple solid rocket motors to achieve the precise test velocity.
An instrumented Anthropomorphic Test Dummy (ATD) was used to replicate aircrew response, capturing loads, accelerations and moments experienced during ejection. The full sequence was recorded using onboard and ground-based high-speed imaging systems. Officials from the Indian Air Force, the Institute of Aerospace Medicine and certification bodies witnessed the test.
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh congratulated DRDO, ADA, HAL and industry partners, calling the achievement “a significant milestone for India’s indigenous defence capabilities and self-reliance.”
DRDO Chairman Samir V. Kamat also commended the team.
In a post on X, the Defence Minister wrote:
“DRDO has successfully conducted a high-speed rocket-sled test of a fighter aircraft escape system at a precisely controlled velocity of 800 km/h—validating canopy severance, ejection sequencing and complete aircrew recovery at the RTRS facility.”
The RTRS Penta Rail Supersonic Track—established in 2014—is a four-kilometre national test facility and among the few of its kind globally. It supports trials for a wide range of mission-critical systems, including ISRO’s manned mission payloads, missile navigation modules, proximity fuses, aircraft arresting gear, parachutes and armament fuses.
ISRO has previously used the facility for Gaganyaan parachute and apex-cover separation tests.
