US Hails New Milestone in Development of Hypersonic Weapons:
In the US drive to acquire an operational hypersonic weapon, after the Hypersonic Conventional Strike Weapon (HCSW) programme was canceled in February due to budget issues, Lockheed Martin had been pushing ahead with the AGM-183A Air-Launched Rapid Response Weapon (ARRW), with its first captive-carry test held in June 2019.
The US Air Force and the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) have completed successful captive-carry tests of two hypersonic weapon variants designed by Lockheed Martin and Raytheon, the organizations announced in a press release on 1 September.
A captive-carry flight test is when missiles remained attached to a test aircraft for the duration of the flight. The method offers an opportunity to accumulate data about how the design, as well as the aircraft carrying it, will perform subsequent free-flight tests.
[...] Both companies, Lockheed Martin and Raytheon, have designed the scramjet-powered hypersonic missiles as part of the Hypersonic Air-breathing Weapon Concept (HAWC) program run by the Air Force and DARPA, writes Defense News.
"Completing the captive carry series of tests demonstrates both HAWC designs are ready for free flight," said Andrew Knoedler, DARPA's HAWC program manager, making no mention of the location of the tests or the aircraft used.
The success of the recent tests put the US Air Force one step closer to achieving a long-cherished goal of fielding a hypersonic cruise missile.
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Russia successfully tests new hypersonic Tsirkon missile:
Russia says it has successfully tested a new hypersonic anti-ship cruise missile in a move hailed by President Vladimir Putin as a "great event" for the country.
The military said on Wednesday that the Tsirkon missile was fired from the Admiral Gorshkov frigate in the White Sea on Tuesday morning in the Russian Arctic and successfully hit its target.
Valery Gerasimov, chief of the Russian military's General Staff, told Putin – who turned 68 on Wednesday – that it was the first time the missile had successfully struck a target at sea.
"The tasks of the launch were carried out. The test-fire was successful," he told Putin. Gerasimov said the missile hit its target 450 kilometres (280 miles) away in the Barents Sea and reached a speed of Mach 8 – eight times the speed of sound.
China and America have also been developing hypersonic missiles.
Previously:
US Hails New Milestone in Development of Hypersonic Weapons
Russia Takes Lead by Deploying Hypersonic Nuclear Warheads First
Air-Breathing Engine Precooler Achieves Record-Breaking Mach 5 Performance
Putin Hails Successful Test Of Russia's New Hypersonic Missile
China Tests Hypersonic Aircraft "Starry Sky-2"
General: U.S. Has No Defense Against "Hypersonic Weapons"
Hypersonic Cruise Missile Scores USD$175m DARPA Cash
Arthur T Knackerbracket has processed the following story:
The issue has not previously been high on the agenda in talks between the two countries, but China's recent test of a hypersonic missile that can attack multiple targets in flight have lent a new urgency to US defense thinking.
At the same time, Russia's recent test of a Tsirkon hypersonic cruise missile from a submarine in the north of the country has focused US military planners on the prospect of America falling behind its two superpower rivals in what some are seeing as a new arms race.
Hypersonic missiles are often defined as missiles launched by a rocket into Earth's upper atmosphere at speeds of Mach 5 and above (five times the speed of sound or 6,174 kilometers (3,836 miles) per hour), before maneuvering towards a target. Several countries already have intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs) that travel just as fast—or even faster—but these cannot change trajectory once launched. The new generation of hypersonic missiles are equipped with glide vehicles that approach their targets at high speed in the final phase of flight.
(Score: 1, Interesting) by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday September 02 2020, @11:37PM (3 children)
World War III (2026 – 2053) is right on schedule.
(Score: 4, Touché) by PartTimeZombie on Thursday September 03 2020, @12:21AM (2 children)
The next story down has China wanting to double the number of nuclear warheads they have in the next decade, so maybe World War III won't take that long.
(Score: 2) by barbara hudson on Thursday September 03 2020, @03:02AM
SoylentNews is social media. Says so right in the slogan. Soylentnews is people, not tech.
(Score: 2) by pdfernhout on Friday September 04 2020, @11:35AM
Yeah I was struck by the coincidence too. As I write here, the sort of tech and social organization used to create, say, hypersonic nuclear missiles out of fear could instead make the world a better place out of joy: https://pdfernhout.net/recognizing-irony-is-a-key-to-transcending-militarism.html [pdfernhout.net]
======
Recognizing irony is key to transcending militarism
Military robots like drones are ironic because they are created essentially to force humans to work like robots in an industrialized social order. Why not just create industrial robots to do the work instead?
Nuclear weapons are ironic because they are about using space age systems to fight over oil and land. Why not just use advanced materials as found in nuclear missiles to make renewable energy sources (like windmills or solar panels) to replace oil, or why not use rocketry to move into space by building space habitats for more land?
Biological weapons like genetically-engineered plagues are ironic because they are about using advanced life-altering biotechnology to fight over which old-fashioned humans get to occupy the planet. Why not just use advanced biotech to let people pick their skin color, or to create living arkologies and agricultural abundance for everyone everywhere?
These militaristic socio-economic ironies would be hilarious if they were not so deadly serious. ...
Likewise, even United States three-letter agencies like the NSA and the CIA, as well as their foreign counterparts, are becoming ironic institutions in many ways. Despite probably having more computing power per square foot than any other place in the world, they seem not to have thought much about the implications of all that computer power and organized information to transform the world into a place of abundance for all. Cheap computing makes possible just about cheap everything else, as does the ability to make better designs through shared computing. ...
There is a fundamental mismatch between 21st century reality and 20th century security thinking. Those "security" agencies are using those tools of abundance, cooperation, and sharing mainly from a mindset of scarcity, competition, and secrecy. Given the power of 21st century technology as an amplifier (including as weapons of mass destruction), a scarcity-based approach to using such technology ultimately is just making us all insecure. Such powerful technologies of abundance, designed, organized, and used from a mindset of scarcity could well ironically doom us all whether through military robots, nukes, plagues, propaganda, or whatever else... Or alternatively, as Bucky Fuller and others have suggested, we could use such technologies to build a world that is abundant and secure for all.
So, while in the past, we had "nothing to fear but fear itself", the thing to fear these days is ironically ... irony. :-)
So, how can we transcend militarism? ...
The biggest challenge of the 21st century: the irony of technologies of abundance used by scarcity-minded people.
(Score: 4, Insightful) by Anonymous Coward on Thursday September 03 2020, @12:23AM (6 children)
Who would rather we had a decent, equitable, and universal education and medical system, like civilized countries, instead of wasting ever more money on "defense" weapons against imaginary enemies that always ends up being deployed in offensive wars of aggression to steal resources or to put down anti-right-wing dictator movements by oppressed people at home and abroad?
Sorry for the flamebaity wording, but I am disgusted by squandering of all our treasure on the killing and oppression of people both home and abroad in service of enriching the rich parasite class.
"The United States is the single largest purveyor of violence in the world." True when Dr. Martin Luther King said it, and still true today.
(Score: 3, Insightful) by linkdude64 on Thursday September 03 2020, @12:53AM (4 children)
"The United States is the single largest purveyor of violence in the world." True when Dr. Martin Luther King said it, and still true today."
Yes, he was right, because that was *AFTER* The United States stopped fascism in Europe, and AFTER the Maoist China and Communist Russia had killed their hundreds of millions through class-genocide and starvation.
If you think America is bad, just WAIT until you see what China, Russia, and/or Saudi Arabia will do as the world powers. You think neutered, shriveled, pacifist *Europe* would (or could) stop Russia and China? If we were talking in person, I would laugh in your face.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Thursday September 03 2020, @02:25AM (3 children)
Oppressed people's can never match the productivity of a free society. Chinese classist bullshit cannot survive without massive overhead in corruption and unmotivated workforce.
It's like your worst ever workplace but with less pay and no benefits.
(Score: 2) by barbara hudson on Thursday September 03 2020, @03:05AM (2 children)
You mean like the Silicon Valley wet dream of the gig economy. Supporting insane valuations by ensuring people don't have stable employment or benefits, and declining pay.
SoylentNews is social media. Says so right in the slogan. Soylentnews is people, not tech.
(Score: 5, Insightful) by qzm on Thursday September 03 2020, @06:09AM (1 child)
Of course, why do you think all of the heads of the tech corps are working so hard supporting 'socialism'?
Is it because they believe in wealth redistribution? perhaps they believe in the removal of property ownership?
No, its because socialism ALWAYS includes a ruling class, and they see themselves firmly in that class.
However socialism also includes structures to force those not in the ruling class, but with highly valuable skills to give those up for chickfeed.
That, ladies and gentlemen, is why the leaders of twitter, facebook, google, amazon, etc all support 'socialism'.. Its socialism for YOU, not the THEM.
(Score: 2) by Aegis on Thursday September 03 2020, @02:43PM
[CITATION NEEDED]
(Score: 2) by pdfernhout on Friday September 04 2020, @11:38AM
... to use the technology of abundance to create artificial scarcity instead.
The biggest challenge of the 21st century: the irony of technologies of abundance used by scarcity-minded people.
(Score: 2, Insightful) by Mojibake Tengu on Thursday September 03 2020, @01:02AM
Motives for cancelling a project for unbearable budget are understandable.
Why not buy some from Russia?
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Avangard_(hypersonic_glide_vehicle) [wikipedia.org]
They have already deployed them in combat service a year ago so they must have this technology already matured and reliable.
More, Putin already offered them for sale to USA some time ago: https://www.newsweek.com/russia-putin-trump-hypersonic-weapons-1457912 [newsweek.com]
Frankly, we are being repeatedly told by NATO propaganda outlets Russia has a GDP of just Italia, so it's probably very cheap. Or good negotiable price.
But, tell me, why not any other industrial country developed this simple and cheap technology already to military grade vehicle?
Rust programming language offends both my Intelligence and my Spirit.
(Score: 4, Informative) by barbara hudson on Thursday September 03 2020, @01:21AM (3 children)
The problem with hypersonic missiles is the engine. It's almost impossible to get an air-breathing engine that works at subsonic, supersonic, and hypersonic speeds.
So either you use a rocket engine, which means you have the weight penalty of carrying around your oxidant and support plumbing, or you go the Russian route of a nuclear engine, or you launch it from a jet already going at supersonic speeds, get high enough to drop it and let if develop enough speed via gravity (and maybe a small rocket boost) to allow the scramjet to operate.
Doing that means not having much in the way of payload since the jet has to be able to carry it high enough fast enough to successfully launch it.
It also means carrying it externally, because a stealth fighter will have the doors ripped off and no longer be stealthy at Mach 2 and above. Too bad the Concorde wasn't around - it would have the speed, weight and altitude capacity, especially since it wouldn't need anywhere near a half fuel load for a takeoff and launch .
SoylentNews is social media. Says so right in the slogan. Soylentnews is people, not tech.
(Score: 1, Insightful) by Anonymous Coward on Thursday September 03 2020, @02:34AM
All this effort... for what?!
It's not like we will even have a moonbase or velcro strips to show for it.
(Score: 2) by RS3 on Thursday September 03 2020, @01:05PM (1 child)
How about a booster rocket (that drops off after it's spent)?
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Thursday September 03 2020, @05:00PM
This was my first thought halfway through his argument (before he said jet).
(Score: 2) by legont on Thursday September 03 2020, @04:01AM (3 children)
There are no targets to kill with hypersonic missiles that the US can't kill with other means. Russia and China need them to kill American aircraft carriers. There are no other targets out there.
"Wealth is the relentless enemy of understanding" - John Kenneth Galbraith.
(Score: 3, Interesting) by Runaway1956 on Thursday September 03 2020, @09:03AM (2 children)
The advantage of hypersonic missiles is, no one has time to intercept them. Cruise missiles are hard to intercept, but they can be intercepted. Give your cruise missile hypersonic speed, and no one is going to stop it.
“I have become friends with many school shooters” - Tampon Tim Walz
(Score: 3, Insightful) by legont on Thursday September 03 2020, @12:33PM (1 child)
True, but what are the targets? The US currently can hit anything anyway. There are no targets worth hypersonic missiles; for the US that is.
The only reason to accrue them was that China and Russia have them. Well, that's how Regan defeated Soviets - by making them to build all that star wars and neutron bombs crap - by draining the budget.
We, the USA, are being trolled pure and simple.
"Wealth is the relentless enemy of understanding" - John Kenneth Galbraith.
(Score: 2) by PiMuNu on Thursday September 03 2020, @04:26PM
> The US currently can hit anything anyway.
Europe is developing hypersonic for civilian use (SABRE). I don't know what the US capability is (I recall they have some sort of top secret space plane thingy?). Presumably other powers are also working on something.
(Score: -1, Spam) by Anonymous Coward on Thursday September 03 2020, @11:13AM
Marissa_Van_Eck FAKENAME_NIGGER CUNT_Azuma_Hazuki: So "that was NOT me posting" https://soylentnews.org/comments.pl?noupdate=1&sid=37033&page=1&cid=985641#commentwrap [soylentnews.org] which YES, you said when you_LIBELED me publicly BEFORE it with YOU saying "So that's a "yes" to schizophrenia/schizoaffective disorder and a "no" to "am taking meds for said disorder"_LIBELING ME then...?" per YOUR https://soylentnews.org/comments.pl?noupdate=1&sid=37033&page=1&cid=982854#commentwrap [soylentnews.org] you stupid pitiful FAKENAME_fuck online LIAR piece of fucking SHIT NIGGER?
OR
Was it when I GOT YOUR REAL_NAME & found you are a_satanist/anti-god HERE https://redeeminggod.com/sermons/luke/luke_7_36-50/#comment-269796 [redeeminggod.com] also which most ALL you "LEFTIST" LOSER weirdos usually are (which YES, in THIS other exchange "Why do you assume that you finding discussion threads on other sites with me in them will scare me?" quoted from https://soylentnews.org/comments.pl?noupdate=1&sid=38720&page=1&cid=1028402#commentwrap [soylentnews.org] you DID admit FINALLY to saying it was you - ESPECIALLY AFTER dozens of doctors RECENTLY seconded me on Hydroxychloroquin + Zinc (& Vitamin D3 imo along w/ other things I noted that are anti-viral + antibacterial like RAW GARLIC too)).
Do me a favor - DENY ANY OF THOSE, please & I will continue PROVING YOU ARE A NIGGER_SHITBAG LOSER, devil... as I already DID here https://soylentnews.org/comments.pl?noupdate=1&sid=38720&page=1&cid=1028211#commentwrap [soylentnews.org]
The TRUE BEAUTY of SATANIST_FUCKS like YOU (antigod assholes)? TRUTH & FACT DESTROYS LIBELOUS_DEVILS LIKE YOU - just like I did you & OTHER AHOLES who doubted what I wrote on what is NOW PROVEN TRUE by DOCTORS, admitted in mainstream media etc. (as I showed in those links' exchanges above easily) & especially LATELY by DOZENS of doctors (I have proof from pros - NOT LIBEL like you did to me PUBLICLY & I can still FRY YOU FOR IT FUCKER, live in fear fuck) MINUS any psych pros backing you.
SAY 1 THING, YOU STINKING LIBELOUS_NIGGER FUCK & I will CONTINUE_LEVELLING YOU PUBLICLY with facts - not libel as you tried on me, stupid "Marissa_von_DUMBO", lol - please, say 1 thing & the BEATING on you, PUBLICLY will continue in this thread where you will have a HELL of a TIME "downmod burying it" via downmod brigades doubtless ONLY yourself via multiple_sockpuppet accounts etc. (downodding to HIDE it? FORGET IT vs. me - everyone sees you @ it now, lol - thanks, just as I SAID "your kind", demonic SWINE/antigod LOSERS, always do).
WHY SHOULD YOU FEAR LIBELING_ME PROJECTING IT NOW, TRYING TO HIDE IT TOO?
TOUGH HIDING YOU LIED about_LIBELING ME, especially via INHERENTLY_DAMAGING STATEMENTS libeling me as you did see GOLDWATER_RULE below too fuckface_CUNT you are (wikipedia proof https://soylentnews.org/comments.pl?noupdate=1&sid=37033&page=1&cid=985366#commentwrap [soylentnews.org] & you said "No jury or judge would back it" here https://soylentnews.org/comments.pl?noupdate=1&sid=37033&page=1&cid=985353#commentwrap? [soylentnews.org] Ok - like I said earlier here which you TRIED TO DOWNMOD_HIDE as I knew you HAVE to (everyone sees it anyhow) - TRY ME FUCKER - say 1 thing you COWARDLY STUPID_LITTLE FUCK & we'll SEE what happens to you, fuckface_CUNT you are).
As I said "DO YOU WANT TO BE_SUED" for breaking the GOLDWATER_RULE? See here again https://soylentnews.org/comments.pl?noupdate=1&sid=37033&page=1&cid=985329#commentwrap [soylentnews.org] for YOUR (& everyone else's) reference of YOUR LIBEL_of myself
APK
P.S.=> Oh, I am going to have a FIELDDAY on YOUR_ASS_fucker - catching you not ONLY IN LIES above, but also in the fact you are a GODLESS_fucking LOSER - come on, say something, question the above where you LIED fucker ("it was not me saying it" but it WAS in those links calling me a nutcase essentially when YOU SAID YOU DID NOT (because it IS grounds for SUING THE LIFE OUT OF YOUR WORTHLESS_ASS because your statements are NOT BACKED BY actual psychiatric_pros in professional psychiatric_grounds_LIBELING ME)) - oh, you are NEVER going to LIVE THIS DOWN & believe you me - I am going to MAKE SURE you don't - live with your_HUMILIATION loser..._apk