DMRL Hands Over Indigenous Ceramic Radomes for Pralay Missile

The Defence Metallurgical Research Laboratory (DMRL) has officially handed over its newly developed ceramic radomes for the Pralay tactical missile, delivering a crucial breakthrough in India’s indigenous missile technology. The radomes protective nose structures that shield missile sensors are engineered to withstand extreme temperatures, intense aerodynamic loads, and rapid thermal changes encountered during high-speed flight.

DMRL scientists developed a niche-grade ceramic material using an innovative process technology that allows the radome to maintain both mechanical strength and electromagnetic transparency, a combination essential for seeker-based guidance systems. The radome enables Pralay’s sensors to function accurately even under severe heating at near-hypersonic speeds.

Pralay, a 150–500 km-range quasi-ballistic missile, has recently completed successful user evaluation trials, demonstrating high accuracy across its full flight envelope. The missile is designed for rapid-response conventional strikes against high-value targets such as airbases, command centres and logistics hubs. Its advanced radome is vital for ensuring that its terminal guidance remains precise during manoeuvring and high-temperature stress.

To support production, DRDO has already transferred the radome manufacturing technology to BHEL for scaling up industrial output. This ensures a steady supply of high-performance radomes for Pralay and future missile systems.

Officials note that the new ceramic radome technology is not limited to Pralay; it is expected to be used in next-generation tactical, anti-ship, air-launched and hypersonic systems, strengthening India’s long-term self-reliance in missile materials.

The handover represents a quiet but decisive milestone: a strategic component once heavily restricted by global export controls is now fully developed, tested, and produced within India, supporting the country’s emerging rocket and missile force.