Hypersonic

The US Air Force's long anticipated first powered flight test of the AGM-183A Air-launched Rapid Response Weapon (ARRW) hypersonic missile was scrubbed this week when the booster vehicle failed to launch from the B-52H Stratofortress bomber.

Aerojet Rocketdyne and the US Air Force Research Laboratory have achieved a new record thrust output from a scramjet engine, generating 13,000 lb of thrust with over an hour of combustion under various hypersonic conditions.

Two variants of the Hypersonic Air-breathing Weapon Concept (HAWC) being developed for DARPA and the US Air Force have completed their final captive carry flight tests and are now cleared for their first free-flight tests within the next year.

Lockheed Martin and the US Air Force have completed the first flight test of a tactical version of the hypersonic AGM-183A Air-Launched Rapid Response Weapon (ARRW, which was strapped beneath the wing of a B-52 Stratofortress bomber.

Stratolaunch, the company behind the world’s largest plane, has unveiled plans for a hypersonic vehicle capable of hitting Mach 6 speeds. Called the Talon-A, the aircraft is designed for rapid testing advanced flight technologies.

Hypersonic missiles that travel at Mach 5 and above are potential game-changers for military planners. The US Department of Defense has completed a test of its Common Hypersonic Glide Body, which will be the basis for a future class of such weapons.

The US Air Force has completed ground test firings at Cecil Spaceport in Jacksonville, Florida, of a new rocket designed to provide affordable access to hypersonic flight conditions to accelerate development of the technology.

Lockheed Martin has been awarded US$31.9 million by DARPA for further development of a ground-launched hypersonic missile. The contract allows the defense company to begin the Weapon System Integration program for the boost-to-glide weapon system.

A team of scientists at Florida State University's High-Performance Materials Institute is using advanced nanomaterials to produce lightweight heat shields that can stand up to the impact of hypersonic speeds.

The USAF recently unveiled a modification of its B-1B Lancer bomber that will allow it to one day carry hypersonic missiles.

After a two-year upgrade of its test facilities, the AEDC Aerodynamic and Propulsion Test Unit at Arnold Air Force Base in Tennessee has finally been able to test the latest Northrop Grumman scramjet at simulated hypersonic speeds, setting a new thrust record in the process.

Raytheon and Northrop Grumman have formally agreed to collaborate on building an air-breathing hypersonic weapon for DARPA and the US Air Force. Under the new partnership, the two companies will develop, produce, and integrate scramjet combustors into hypersonic tactical missiles.