West Trails Behind as Global Hypersonic Missile Race Accelerates
Russia and China lead in hypersonic missile technology, while the US scrambles to catch up and the UK lags behind.
Hypersonic Missiles: A New Military Frontier
At Beijing’s National Day parade in October 2019, China showcased its 11-metre DF-17 hypersonic missiles mounted on camouflaged vehicles. These weapons travel at over Mach 5, combining speed and agility to evade defenses and potentially alter warfare dynamics.
Global Competition Intensifies
China leads the hypersonic race, followed by Russia. The US is developing its own systems, such as the “Dark Eagle,” while the UK has yet to field any. Israel’s Arrow 3 interceptor and Iran’s claimed (but unverified) hypersonics add to the growing list of contenders.
Western focus on counter-insurgency over recent decades allowed China and Russia to advance rapidly, warns security expert William Freer of the Council on Geostrategy.
Speed, Maneuverability, and Defense Challenges
By definition, hypersonic weapons exceed Mach 5. Russia’s Avangard can reportedly reach Mach 12–27. Their unpredictable flight paths and low-altitude trajectories make early detection and interception difficult.
Boost-glide missiles use rockets to reach the upper atmosphere before gliding to their targets. Cruise variants employ scramjet engines to sustain hypersonic speeds while flying close to the ground.
The dual-use nature of these weapons—conventional or nuclear—compounds the strategic risk and compresses decision-making timelines, says former Royal Navy Commander Tom Sharpe.
Western Responses and Limitations
The US Department of Defense acknowledges current ground and space sensors are insufficient. Experts call for enhanced space-based detection networks to overcome radar blind spots.
Though defense measures exist, such as electronic jamming and decoys, emerging AI and satellite technologies will likely change this balance over time.
Uneven Advances and Future Outlook
Russia and China remain ahead, but claims around some Russian systems, like the Kinzhal, are contested. Europe faces direct risk from Russian stations in Kaliningrad. China unveiled the GDF-600 in 2024, capable of Mach 7 speeds and a 1,200kg payload, underscoring its dominance.
The UK’s Milestone Moment
In April, UK and US teams completed 233 static tests of a hypersonic propulsion system at NASA’s Langley Research Center. Defence Secretary John Healey called it a “landmark moment,” though operational deployment is still years away.
Hypersonic missiles’ blend of extreme speed and maneuverability strains existing defenses and reshapes the global military balance.
This topic was reported by BBC News.
Discover the latest news and current events in World News as of 21-08-2025. The article titled " West Trails Behind as Global Hypersonic Missile Race Accelerates " provides you with the most relevant and reliable information in the World News field. Each news piece is thoroughly analyzed to deliver valuable insights to our readers.
The information in " West Trails Behind as Global Hypersonic Missile Race Accelerates " helps you make better-informed decisions within the World News category. Our news articles are continuously updated and adhere to journalistic standards.