U.S. completes second hypersonic missile flight test
AxiosFeb 08, 2022
The Facts
The US has successfully tested a sophisticated new hypersonic cruise missile system, the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) announced on Tues.
The test of the Hypersonic Air-breathing Weapon Concept (HAWC), developed by Lockheed Martin, was conducted off America's west coast and flew above 65,000 feet for more than 300 miles. It reached speeds faster than Mach 5 (5 times the speed of sound) using an Aerojet Rocketdyne 'scramjet' engine.
An unnamed Pentagon official told CNN the test took place in mid-March, but was kept quiet to avoid escalating tensions with Russia as Pres. Joe Biden visited Europe.
The Spin
Establishment-critical narrative
The US, Russia and China all point to each other's development of these weapons as a justification for their own. This arms race risks bleak consequences for the future of humanity, especially as these weapons systems are capable of delivering nuclear warheads.
Pro-establishment narrative
When Putin fired a hypersonic missile at Ukraine, it was the first case of the use of these weapons in combat in the world. Right now the United States is trailing behind Russia and China. The US must ramp up efforts to protect itself and its Western allies.
