Hypersonic

As hypersonic missiles rapidly move toward becoming practical weapons, the problem of how to counter them is also on the agenda. The US Department of Defense developing a CubeSats-based system to track these missiles in all phases of their flight.

UCF researchers say they've trapped a sustained explosive detonation, fixed in place, for the first time, channeling its enormous power into thrust in a new detonation engine that could propel a hypersonic aircraft up to 17 times the speed of sound.

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.