UK commits $1.31bn to hypersonic weapons development

The United Kingdom intends to join the US and China in developing hypersonic weapons. The Ministry of Defence has issued a preliminary notice to companies that are willing to engage in this.

Here's What We Know

China and the US have long been working on weapons that can reach speeds of more than Mach 5 numbers (6174 km/h). The US Army will officially adopt the first launchers with hypersonic missiles at the end of this year.

The Army received the Long-Range Hypersonic Weapon (LRHW) division in and deployed it in test mode in mid-spring 2023. It has a maximum launch range of 2,800 kilometres.

The UK doesn't want to fall behind. The UK is ready to commit £1bn ($1.31bn) to the project. If all goes according to plan, the British hypersonic weapon should appear at the end of this decade. The aim of the programme is to have a TRL9-level product, which means that it will have completed testing and be ready for operation.

If we talk about the combat use of hypersonic weapons, so far only Russia can boast of this. But there is a nuance here. It lies in the fact that the Kh-47M2 missile can develop hypersonic speed only outside the atmosphere, and during the attack on the target it slows down significantly.

Source: Evening Standard