The U.S. Air Force announced Monday that it has conducted a new «successful» test of a HAWC hypersonic missile aimed at «enhancing future capabilities» of the military corps, the U.S. Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency said.
The missile, launched from a B-5 aircraft, traveled nearly 300 nautical miles — more than 300 miles — and reached an altitude of more than 60,000 feet (18,288 meters). It also accelerated to speeds in excess of Mach 5.
«This month’s flight marks a before and after in the most successful Hypersonic Weapon Concept (HAWC) flight test program in U.S. history,» Air Force deputy for the specialized hypersonic missile program, Walter Price, said in a statement.
Likewise, the program manager, Andrew Knoedler, has assured that this missile initiative, in collaboration with Lockheed Martin and Aerojet Rocketdyne has achieved «a great deal of data and progress for the hypersonic community.» «The HAWC program created a generation of new hypersonic engineers and scientists,» Price added.
The United States conducted the first HAWC hypersonic missile test in September 2021. Other powers such as China and Russia have also developed this type of weapon that is difficult to detect and intercept.
Source: (EUROPA PRESS)
