Hypersonic Missiles

Is hypersonic Mach 4+ ?

Supersonic and Hypersonic strike weapon info here http://www.atk.com/AdvancedWeaponSystems/advanceweaponsystems_globalstrike.asp

Pic of HyFly

I don’t know that there is an “official” hypersonic speed. It used to be that you’d only see it applied to things about a mile per second and up but now that the term “hypersonic” has become in vogue you see it applied to damn near anything that goes faster than Mach 3 or so.

Just some that come to mind that aren’t ballistic missiles:

LOSAT
CKEM
THAAD
Patriot
SM-3
S-300PMU
S-300V
S-400
Arrow 2
AS-16
SRAM (retired)
ASALM (didn’t go into service)
Phoenix (retired)
Sprint
Spartan
Galosh
Gazelle
SA-5?

The US has several hypersonic programs underway but it seems like they go for a year or two then fizzle or get changed to some other program.

There are several hypersonic projects for developing SAMs (to reduce aiming problems and enable simpler fire control solutions for short range systems. Examples are starstreak with three very high speed darts and of course SOSNA-R with booster rocket burnout at 1,300m/s and a range of 8km.

Other development areas are ATGMs with velocity being used for the terminal effect instead of a shaped charge HE warhead as used now. I know the Russians are aiming for 2.5km/s velocities and effective ranges of 10km. They won’t be fire and forget, more likely laser beam riding, but with 4 second flights to 10km I think it will to all intents and purposes act like fire and forget. 2.5km/s is the goal as tests have apparantly shown that extra mass added is more effective at that speed than extra speed in penetrating armour. (the weapon would have a long rod penetrator in it that destroys the target with kinetic impact energy).

As stated above the AS-16 or Kh-15 climbs above enemy air defences by flying at 40,000 metres and then dives on the target at mach 5.

There are quite a few weapons already which are technically hypersonic, especially SAMs and ballistic missiles. The challange is to give them greater range (compared to SAMs) and the ability to cruise at such speeds at lower altitude (rather than near-space like BMs). This is where ram- and scramjet technology enters the equation 🙂

Is hypersonic Mach 4+ ?

Supersonic and Hypersonic strike weapon info here http://www.atk.com/AdvancedWeaponSystems/advanceweaponsystems_globalstrike.asp

Pic of HyFly

The Russian Tu-22M3 and Tu-160s use the AS-16 Kickback/Kh-15 missile. It’s hypersonic.

Interesting that all the magnificent technological wonders of India can only be found in the future.

BS website.

Mach 8, 1400km range BrahMos

Mach 8, 1400km range BrahMos

While national media have reported a hypersonic Mach 8 variant of BrahMos to be developed in future, the Western defence media circles are anticipating a sub-sonic or transonic (near the speed of sound) Land Attack Cruise Missile (LACM) variant with an estimated range of 800-km to 1,400-km. In any case a Mach 8 variant of BrahMos will indicate a major technological breakthrough by the Russians in the context of the propulsion components of solid booster and liquid kerosene ramjet engine.

For their part, Indian scientists have for at least a decade, been working on solid-state lasers for use as super-high-speed ignition systems to arm missiles, although their present status is a closely guarded secret

A Mach 8 passive radiation homing BrahMos-2 if developed, will fulfil an Indian Navy requirement of a formidable Suppression of Enemy Air Defence (SEAD) LACM and also pose a deadly threat to enemy warships sporting elaborate air defence radar systems like the “AEGIS type” vessels under construction for the Chinese People Liberation Army Navy (PLAN).

source

There are a lot of Hypersonic cruise missile studies at the moment, I think that as soon as the propulsion technology matures they will start to enter service.

Cost is another very important factor, I would imagine that Hypersonic land attack missiles would only be used on well defended targets or time critical targets.

Here is some more info http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/systems/munitions/hystrike.htm