Hypersonic weapon

"Hypersonic missile" redirects here. For other uses, see Hypersonic Missiles (disambiguation).

A hypersonic weapon is a weapon capable of travelling at hypersonic speed, defined as above Mach 5, or above 5 times the speed of sound.^[1]

Comparison of Ballistic Missile and Hypersonic Glide Vehicle (C-HGB) Flight Trajectories for the LRHW Program

Scramjet-powered hypersonic cruise missile

Below Mach 1, weapons would be characterized as subsonic, and above Mach 1, as supersonic. Typical Low Earth Orbit atmospheric re-entry speed is Mach 25.^[2] At such speed, the molecules of the atmosphere disassociate into a plasma which makes control and communication difficult.

There are multiple types of hypersonic weapon:

1. Hypersonic glide vehicle (HGV): missile warheads which maneuver and glide through the atmosphere at high speeds after an initial ballistic launch phase^[3][1]
2. Hypersonic cruise missile: cruise missiles which use air-breathing engines such as scramjets to reach high speeds^[3][1]
3. Hypersonic aircraft using air-breathing engines such as scramjets to reach high speeds^[1]
4. Guns which fire cannon-launched guided projectiles. These may be developments of traditional artillery or novel technologies such as railguns.^[1]

Other types of weapons, such as traditional ballistic missiles, may achieve hypersonic speeds but are not typically classified as hypersonic weapons due to lacking the use of aerodynamic lift to allow their reentry vehicles to maneuver under guided flight within the atmosphere.^[4][5] Weapons such as the Pershing II and DF-21D blur these lines, as they maneuver aerodynamically to ensure a hit against a potentially-moving target, but lacks the full maneuverability that many expect from hypersonic weapons.

History

The Silbervogel was the first design for a hypersonic weapon and was developed by German scientists in the 1930s, but was never constructed.^[6]

The ASALM (Advanced Strategic Air-Launched Missile) was a medium-range strategic missile program developed in the late 1970s for the United States Air Force; the missile's development reached the stage of propulsion-system testing, test-flown to Mach 5.5^[7] before being cancelled in 1980.

In the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine, Russia was seen to have fielded operational weapons and used them for combat. The Kremlin presents new hypersonic weapons as supposedly capable of overcoming "any" foreign missile defense systems, with the "pre-nuclear deterrence" concept contained in its 2014 iteration of the official Russian Military Doctrine.^[8] A volley of Russian hypersonic missiles were launched at Kyiv in January 2023.^[9]

By country

See also Hypersonic flight#Hypersonic weapons, National Defense Space Architecture

Plans, programs and projects for such weaponry include:

 Australia

• Hypersonic Attack Cruise Missile programme between the United States and Australia, succeeding the SCIFiRE research programme^[10][11][12]

 Brazil

• 14-X

 China

• DF-ZF mounted on the DF-17
• YJ-21
• KF-21
• KD-21 / 2PZD-21^[13]
• DF-27
• Lingyun-1^[14][15]
• MF-1^[16]

 France

• VERAS hypersonic glide vehicle (first French program on hypersonics; launched in 1965 and cancelled in 1971)^[17][18]
• ASN4G hypersonic air-launched cruise missile (under development; technological work on the missile began in the early 1990s and scheduled to succeed the ASMP in the pre-strategic deterrence role in 2035)^[19][20]
• LEA hypersonic cruise demonstrator (project launched in 2003 to validate technologies for the ASN4G program)^[21]
• Prométhée scramjet missile program (little is known about the program beyond the fact that a test, codenamed ASTRÉE, of a mixed ramjet capable of successive subsonic and supersonic combustion was carried out in the United States in either 2021 or 2022)^[19][20]
• VMaX (Véhicule Manœuvrant Expérimental) hypersonic glide vehicle (first flight test took place on June 26, 2023, from the DGA's site in Biscarrosse and was successful)^{[22][23][24][25][26]}
• VMaX-2 hypersonic glide vehicle (first flight test scheduled for 2024 or 2025)^[27][19][20]
• Espadon hypersonic combat aircraft program^[28][29]

 Germany

• SHEFEX II HGV (DLR research)^[30][31][32]

 India

LRAShM test in India

• BrahMos-II
• HGV-202F
• Hypersonic Technology Demonstrator Vehicle
• LRAShM^{[33][34][35][36]}

 Iran

• Fattah-1^[37]
• Fattah-2 – hypersonic glide vehicle unveiled in November 2023^[38]

 Japan

• Hyper Velocity Gliding Projectile
• Hypersonic Cruise Missile (HCM)^[31]

 North Korea

• Hwasong-8
• Hwasong-12A (official designation unconfirmed)
• Hwasong-12B
• Hwasong-16A (official designation unconfirmed)
• Hwasong-16B

 Russia

• 3M22 Zircon
• Avangard (hypersonic glide vehicle)
• Kh-95 long-range hypersonic cruise missile^[39]
• Vympel R-37M

 South Korea

• Hycore cruise missile (scramjet two-stage missile)^[40]

 United Kingdom

• HVX (Hypersonic Air Vehicle Experimental) demonstrator program announced in July 2022^[41]
• Concept V, a single-engine hypersonic aircraft concept unveiled under the HVX program^[42]
• It was announced in April 2024 that the United Kingdom intends to design and deploy a hypersonic cruise missile by the year 2030.^[43]

 United States

An Air-Launched Rapid Response Weapon (ARRW) carried by a B-52 bomber

• Boeing X-51 Waverider^[44]
• DARPA Falcon Project (Hypersonic Weapon System (HWS)
• DARPA Hypersonic Air-breathing Weapon Concept (HAWC)^[45]
• Hypersonic Attack Cruise Missile (Air Force) in partnership with Australia^[46][47][48]
• Long-Range Hypersonic Weapon (Army) and Conventional Prompt Strike (Navy) boost-glide system, both use the same Common-Hypersonic Glide Body HGV ^[49]
• OpFires (DARPA) ^[50][51]
• Hypersonic Air Launched Offensive Anti-Surface (HALO) air-launched anti-ship missile under Offensive Anti-Surface Warfare Increment 2 (OASuW Inc 2) program (Navy)^[52][53]
• AIM-260 JATM (expected)
• Lockheed Martin Mako^[54][55]

See also

• Conventional Prompt Strike (CPS)
• Hypersonic cruise missile
• Hypersonic flight
• Hypersonic glide vehicle
• Scramjet programs

References

1. John T. Watts; Christian Trotti; Mark J. Massa (August 2020), Primer on Hypersonic Weapons in the Indo-Pacific Region (PDF), Atlantic Council, ISBN 978-1-61977-111-6
2. https://www.grc.nasa.gov/www/BGH/hihyper.html
3. Stone, Richard (8 January 2020). "'National pride is at stake.' Russia, China, United States race to build hypersonic weapons". Science. doi:10.1126/science.aba7957.
4. "Fact Sheet: Hypersonic Weapons". Center for Arms Control and Non-proliferation. 15 November 2023.
5. Montgomery, Alexander. "Ukraine and the Kinzhal: Don't believe the hypersonic hype". Brookings Institution. The term "hypersonic" is now typically used just to refer to two types of weapons that are being developed through contemporary defense programs: hypersonic glide vehicles (HGVs) and hypersonic cruise missiles (HCMs).
6. Wright, David; Tracy, Cameron (August 2021). "Overhyped". Scientific American. 325 (2): 64–71. doi:10.1038/scientificamerican0821-64. PMID 39020784.
7. "ASALM". www.astronautix.com.
8. McDermott, Roger (4 February 2022). "The Role of Hypersonic Weapons in Russian Military Strategy". The Jamestown Foundation.
9. "Ukraine war: Kyiv says it shot down Russian hypersonic missiles". 16 May 2023. Retrieved 2 January 2024.
10. "Partnering and integration speed delivery of a hypersonic missile". www.rtx.com.
11. Losey, Stephen (12 March 2024). "Air Force budget backs Raytheon hypersonic, no Lockheed missile funds". DefenseNews.com.
12. Tirpak, John (13 March 2024). "Air Force Looks to Reusable Hypersonics as ARRW Ends and HACM Gears Up for Testing". Air & Space Forces Magazine.
13. Kadidal, Akhil (3 May 2024). "Chinese bomber launches new ballistic missile". Janes. Archived from the original on 4 June 2024.
14. Bosbotinis, James (15 June 2020). "International Hypersonic Strike Weapons Projects Accelerate". Aviation Week Network. Archived from the original on 4 June 2024.
15. Long, Drake (21 May 2018). "China reveals Lingyun-1 hypersonic missile". The Defense Post. Archived from the original on 4 June 2024.
16. Xiao, Han-shan; Ou, Chao; Ji, Hong-liang; He, Zheng-chun; Liu, Ning-yuan; Yuan, Xian-xu (2020). "Low-Cost and Aerodynamics-Aim Hypersonic Flight Experiment MF-1". MATEC Web of Conferences. 316: 04006. doi:10.1051/matecconf/202031604006. ProQuest 2442617707.
17. Lagneau, Laurent (7 August 2022). "Quand la France avait de l'avance dans la mise au point d'un planeur hypersonique avec le projet VERAS". opex360.com (in French).
18. "Le premier vol du planeur hypersonique français V-MAX est (enfin) pour bientôt, promet M. Chiva" (in French). 3 March 2023.
19. "MBDA en dit un peu plus sur l'ASN4G, le futur missile de la composante aéroportée de la dissuasion française" (in French). 12 March 2023.
20. "Le futur missile de la composante aéroportée de la dissuasion française : l'ASN4G" (in French). 13 March 2023.
21. "NATO STO: French Flight Test Program LEA Status". Defense Technical Information Center. 1 September 2010.
22. Salerno-Garthwaite, Andrew (28 June 2023). "France debuts hypersonic glide weapon in first VMaX test flight". Airforce Technology. Archived from the original on 23 May 2024.
23. Vavasseur, Xavier (27 June 2023). "France Conducts First VMaX Hypersonic Glide Vehicle Test". Naval News. Archived from the original on 29 June 2023.
24. "France conducts first test firing of V-MAX hypersonic glider demonstrator". 27 June 2023.
25. "La France a testé le planeur hypersonique VMAX d'Ariane Group". 27 June 2023.
26. "Armées : la France a testé pour la première fois un planeur hypervéloce, capable de voler à plus de Mach 5". 27 June 2023.
27. "Le ministère des Armées va financer un second démonstrateur de planeur hypersonique, le VMaX-2". Opex 360 (in French). 4 May 2023.
28. "L'ONERA dévoile le projet d'avion militaire hypersonique " Espadon "". 19 July 2023.
29. "Aéronef hypersonique militaire : anticiper la menace". 26 June 2023.
30. "Hypersonic Weapons: Backgroundand Issues for Congress" (PDF). Congressional Research Service. 25 August 2021. Archived from the original (PDF) on 29 August 2021.
31. "Hypersonic Weapons: Backgroundand Issues for Congress" (PDF). Congressional Research Service. 13 February 2023.
32. "SHEFEX – Sharp Edge Flight Experiment". Institute of Structures and Design.
33. Negi, Manjeet (17 November 2024). "India successfully tests first long-range hypersonic missile, joins select club". India Today. Retrieved 17 November 2024.
34. Dubey, Ajit (10 November 2024). "India set to test over 1,000 km strike range anti-ship ballistic missile". ANI. Retrieved 17 November 2024.
35. Rao, V. Kamalakara (17 November 2024). "DRDO 'successfully conducts' flight trial of India's first long-range hypersonic missile". The Hindu. ISSN 0971-751X. Retrieved 19 November 2024.
36. "India joins global race for hypersonic weaponry with successful missile test". The Economic Times. 17 November 2024. ISSN 0013-0389. Retrieved 19 November 2024.
37. "Iran issues threat to Israel, US with new hypersonic weapon". The Jerusalem Post | JPost.com. 19 November 2023. Retrieved 3 January 2025.
38. Motamedi, Maziar. "Iran unveils upgraded hypersonic missile as Khamenei touts Israel 'failure'". Al Jazeera. Retrieved 17 February 2024.
39. "Is This Russia's Best Hypersonic Missile yet?". The National Interest. 3 December 2021.
40. "South Korea develops Hycore hypersonic cruise missile". 25 January 2022.
41. "UK Developing Reusable Hypersonic Tech". 28 July 2022.
42. "Farnborough 2022: UK reveals 'Concept V' hypersonic aircraft". 18 July 2022.
43. "Britain developing homegrown hypersonic missile". 28 April 2024.
44. "X-51A Waverider". United States Air Force.
45. Buccellatto, Salvatore. "Hypersonic Air-breathing Weapon Concept (HAWC)". DARPA.
46. "Partnering and integration speed delivery of a hypersonic missile". www.rtx.com.
47. Losey, Stephen (12 March 2024). "Air Force budget backs Raytheon hypersonic, no Lockheed missile funds". DefenseNews.com.
48. Tirpak, John (13 March 2024). "Air Force Looks to Reusable Hypersonics as ARRW Ends and HACM Gears Up for Testing". Air & Space Forces Magazine.
49. "Report to Congress on Army Long Range Hypersonic Weapon". USNI.
50. "Lockheed Martin's Hypersonic OpFires Missile Has Medium Range Covered". Lockheed Martin.
51. Malin, Hamish. "Operational Fires". DARPA.
52. "HALO programme accelerates US Navy hypersonic capability drive". 5 September 2022.
53. "Offensive Anti-Surface Warfare (OASuW) Increment 1" (PDF). The Office of the Director, Operational Test and Evaluation.
54. "Lockheed-Martin unveils Mako Hypersonic Missile at Sea Air Space 2024". 12 April 2024.
55. "Lockheed Martin's New Mako Hypersonic Missile Breaks Cover". 10 April 2024.

Further reading

• Kunertova, Dominika (2022). "Hypersonic Weapons: Emerging, Disruptive, Political". In Carlson, Brian G.; Thränert, Oliver (eds.). Strategic Trends 2022: Key Developments in Global Affairs. Center for Security Studies. pp. 43–67. doi:10.3929/ethz-b-000552689. ISBN 978-3-905696-85-1.

 This article incorporates public domain material from Kelley M. Sayler. Hypersonic Weapons: Background and Issues for Congress (PDF). Congressional Research Service.