US Department of Defense Successfully Tests Hypersonic Weapon... Flies at Speeds Over 6200 km/h

Competition Intensifies in Next-Generation Missile Development
Countering Russian Hypersonic Missiles

[Image source=U.S. Department of Defense Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) website]

[Asia Economy Reporter Hyunwoo Lee] The U.S. Department of Defense announced that it has successfully tested a hypersonic weapon capable of striking targets at speeds more than five times the speed of sound. This weapon is intended to counter Russia's missile capabilities, which have already showcased various hypersonic weapons, and the competition between the two countries in developing next-generation missiles is expected to intensify.

On the 27th (local time), the U.S. Department of Defense's Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) announced in a statement that it successfully conducted a test of the 'Hypersonic Air-breathing Weapon Concept' (HAWC) last week in cooperation with the Air Force. DARPA stated, "HAWC operates best in the oxygen-rich atmosphere and is difficult to detect due to its speed and maneuverability." It added, "It can strike targets much faster than subsonic missiles."

Hypersonic weapons refer to weapons that can fly and strike at speeds of Mach 5 or more, meaning at least five times the speed of sound, in the upper atmosphere. They must be capable of flying at speeds exceeding approximately 6,200 km per hour. Since 2019, U.S. defense contractors Raytheon and Northrop Grumman have been jointly developing hypersonic weapon engines and related technologies.

The recent hypersonic weapon test is widely analyzed as being aimed at Russia. According to Russia's TASS news agency, the Russian military successfully tested a hypersonic cruise missile named 'Tsirkon' in July. Russian President Vladimir Putin praised it as a next-generation missile system with no rival weapon.

At that time, the U.S. Department of Defense criticized Russia's hypersonic missiles, stating that they could be equipped with nuclear warheads and destabilize the geopolitical situation. Russia, in turn, has responded that the deployment of U.S. hypersonic missiles in Europe would destabilize international affairs.