Tag: Hypersonic

RAFAEL announced today it had begun the development of a new interceptor designed specifically against hypersonic missiles. The company has been developing the new interceptor for the past three years and expects to have a prototype ready for flight testing soon.

A week after the second test of a missile with a hypersonic warhead, North Korea conducted another test flight of such a missile. According to the flight map released by the Koreans, the missile was launched into a ballistic trajectory. This was the third reported test of a hypersonic glide vehicle reported by North Korea. South Korea and Japan both detected this launch, saying a missile had been fired from North Korea towards the sea of Japan.

On 6 October, the Russian Ministry of Defence successfully tested the Tsirkon hypersonic missile. The tests were carried out from the waters of the White Sea, from the “Admiral Gorshkov” frigate. The test is the latest in a series of qualification tests (state tests) of the hypersonic anti-ship missile developed for the Russian Navy and the first performed from a combat vessel at sea.

Lockheed Martin and Dynetics Technical Solutions (DTS) have both won contracts to develop and supply hypersonic weapon systems to the US Army. Lockheed Martin will be the prime contractor for the land-mobile Long-Range Hypersonic Weapon (LRHW) system, while Dynetics primes the development and integration of the arrow-shaped Common Hypersonic Glide Body (C-HGB) the LRHW carries. 

China has successfully tested a hypersonic waverider air vehicle for the first time. The vehicle flew and maneuvered at a speed of Mach 6....

Vladimir Putin, the President of the Russian Republic confirmed today that Russia began deploying new strategic weapons that are virtually immune to enemy missile defense capabilities. These weapons include a hypersonic air-launched attack missile and ground-launched hypersonic glider, that can be used with nuclear or conventional warheads. Russian scientists have also matured a compact nuclear propulsion system that can be fitted to unmanned aerial vehicles and torpedo-like submersibles, used as cruise missiles. Nuclear powered Representing new weapon categories, both systems are not likely to be covered by the new Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (START).

The US Missile defense Agency is seeking future missile defense measures that will be able to defeat hypersonic glide vehicles, similar to those being developed by the China, Russia and India.

A highly-publicized test flight of a United States Air Force (USAF) experimental aircraft ended in failure on 14 August. The unmanned aircraft, designated the X-51A “Waverider,” broke apart in midair and crashed into the Pacific Ocean only 31 seconds into its test flight.

The second and final flight test of DARPA’s Hypersonic Test Vehicle 2 (HTV-2) failed today as the capsule, launched by the Minotaur IV missile, was lost upon reentering earth atmosphere, about nine after launch. "We do not yet know how to achieve the desired control during the aerodynamic phase of flight." HTV-2 PM said. DARPA has assembled an independent Engineering Review Board to review and analyze the data collected through the experiment.