China's Northwestern Polytechnical University successfully flew the Feitian-2 hypersonic craft at speeds reaching Mach 12, significantly exceeding the Mach 5 threshold for hypersonic flight. The craft uniquely integrates rocket and ramjet propulsion systems. This flight demonstrated autonomous switching between propulsion methods while enduring intense flight conditions. Such hypersonic capabilities are concerning for national defense, as they create challenges for tracking and intercepting these weapons due to their low flight profile and unpredictable maneuverability. The USA is developing hypersonic missiles in response to capabilities demonstrated by China and Russia.
Switching from one form of propulsion to the other is harder still. China claims the Feitian-2 flew autonomously while changing from rocket to ramjet while handling the hellish stresses that come with high speed flight.
Hypersonic weapons can also maneuver unpredictably at high speeds to counter short-range defenses near a target, making it harder to track and intercept them.
Collection
[
|
...
]