China Develops Hypersonic Glide Vehicle Targeting US... Mach 30 Wind Tunnel to Complete Next Year

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[Asia Economy Beijing=Special Correspondent Jo Young-shin] China has joined the fierce competition between the United States and Russia in developing hypersonic glide vehicles (HGVs).

Chinese media, including China Central Television (CCTV), reported on the 24th that China will complete a wind tunnel (project name JF-22) capable of testing speeds up to Mach 30 (10.2 km/s) next year, which will contribute to China's development of hypersonic glide vehicles.

China's Fengdong Laboratory, scheduled for completion next year (Photo by CCTV)

A wind tunnel is a tunnel-shaped experimental device that generates artificial wind. It is known that the United States currently possesses a wind tunnel capable of testing speeds of 10 km/s.

Hypersonic generally refers to speeds of Mach 5 (6,120 km/h) or higher, which is five times the speed of sound. If an aircraft capable of flying at this speed is developed, it can reach anywhere in the world within two hours.

Chinese media reported that once this wind tunnel laboratory, which is said to have started construction in March 2018, is completed, the speed of China's hypersonic vehicle development will accelerate.

Jiang Zhonglin, a researcher at the Chinese Academy of Sciences' Institute of Technology, said, "The wind tunnel, scheduled for completion next year, is designed to test the maximum speed of 10.2 km/s at altitudes of 40 to 100 km," adding, "It will contribute to the development of hypersonic aircraft and space launch vehicles." He further stated, "If hypersonic vehicles are developed, the cost of launching spacecraft such as satellites can be reduced by 90%."

Test launch of Russian hypersonic missile Tsirkon [Image source=Reuters Yonhap News]

Pu Qianshao, a Chinese aviation expert, explained, "Hypersonic technology will first be introduced for military purposes such as reconnaissance and then expanded to civilian aircraft," and "later, hypersonic technology will be applied to aerospace."

Chinese media reported that China developed a wind tunnel (JF-12) capable of testing speeds from Mach 5 to Mach 9 in 2012 and applied it to aerospace technology. It is also reported that China conducted seven tests of the hypersonic glide vehicle (WU-14) from 2014 to 2017. Although the speed of the Dongfeng (DF)-17, a medium-range ballistic missile unveiled by China in 2019, is known to exceed Mach 5, China has not disclosed specific speeds.

Since wind tunnels form the basis for hypersonic missile development, China is expected to actively pursue hypersonic missile development following Russia and the United States. Russia announced last month that it successfully test-fired the cruise missile Zircon. The speed of the missile tested that day is estimated to be Mach 7 (8,568 km/h), and Zircon's maximum speed is known to be Mach 9.