Hypersonic weapons are weapons that travel at speeds of Mach 5 or higher, which is more than five times the speed of sound. They are difficult to stop and can maneuver to avoid detection and defensive countermeasures.
Types of hypersonic weapons
- Hypersonic glide vehicles (HGV)Launched from a rocket, similar to ballistic missiles, before gliding to a target
- Hypersonic cruise missiles (HCM)Powered by scramjet engines, allowing them to fly at hypersonic speeds while staying within the atmosphere
WORKINGS:
Hypersonic glide vehicles (HGVs)
- Launched from a rocket booster, similar to a ballistic missile
- Separate from the booster and glide to the target
- Can reach speeds of Mach 20 or more
Hypersonic cruise missiles (HCMs)
- Powered by air-breathing engines called scramjets
- Can reach hypersonic speeds at altitudes of 20–40 km
- Can maneuver to their target like other cruise missiles
Hypersonic weapon capabilities
- Can reenter the atmosphere much quicker than ballistic missiles
- Can have ranges of up to thousands of kilometers
- Can undertake evasive maneuvers to overcome defenses
Advantages:
- Overcome long-range defenses: Hypersonic weapons can fly below the altitude where long-range missile defenses operate.
- Maneuverability: Hypersonic weapons can maneuver unpredictably at high speeds, making them harder to track and intercept.
- Deep strike capabilities: Hypersonic weapons can enhance deep strike capabilities.
Disadvantages:
- Cost : Hypersonic weapons are very expensive to develop and produce.
- Drag : Flying at high speeds through the atmosphere causes significant drag, which slows hypersonic weapons.
- Surface heating : The air around hypersonic weapons heats to thousands of degrees, which can damage the vehicle and create an infrared signal that satellites can detect.
- Maneuverability costs : Maneuvering reduces the overall range and potentially increases the risk of interception.
- International security : Hypersonic weapons could negatively impact international security stability.
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