China and Russia are pushing hypersonic missile development. America is responding.
The Army and Navy’s latest all-up round (AUR) test of the jointly developed Common Hypersonic Glide Body system has been deemed a success, putting the services one step closer to fielding ground- and sea-launched hypersonic weapons.
The Navy is testing hypersonic missiles on its truncated Zumwalt class of destroyers.
Hypersonic missiles can certainly be useful. But they are over-hyped. Much cheaper missiles work for most situations:
Many claims regarding the purported advantages of hypersonic weapons are false. These missiles are, in reality, an old technology with a massive price tag and few meaningful advantages over existing ballistic missiles.
And these kinds of expensive, advanced weapons won't be in the arsenal for long.
Still, China's entry into this class of weapon is more significant despite lack of numbers because it is a fractional orbit system. What targets would our missiles be for?
UPDATE: Timely news:
The U.S. Navy announced that the USS Lyndon B. Johnson (DDG-1002) dry-docked at Huntington Ingalls Industries’ Pascagoula Shipyard in Mississippi last Sunday to begin the integration process for Conventional Prompt Strike, making the Zumwalt-class destroyer the second vessel to receive the conventional hypersonic missiles.
UPDATE: More timely news:
USS Zumwalt (DDG-1000) is back in the water after the installation of four missile tubes that will eventually carry the Conventional Prompt Strike weapon[.]
UPDATE: When it rains, it pours at high velocity. More on preparations for Zumwalt's coming missile tests.
NOTE: TDR Winter War of 2022 coverage continues here.
NOTE: I'm adding updates on the Last Hamas War in this post.
NOTE: You may also like to read my posts on Substack, at The Dignified Rant: Evolved. Go ahead and subscribe to it.
NOTE: The photo is a DOD photo from the article.
