Hypersonic Weapons Could Transform Warfare. The U.S. Is Behind.

[Peter1469]

Hypersonic Weapons Could Transform Warfare. The U.S. Is Behind.

Now the DoD is making hypersonics their top priority. A smart move.

Machine guns. Fighter jets. Nuclear weapons. When a new facet of military technology gains operational capability, sometimes it changes the rules of the game. Hypersonic weapons—that travel over five times the speed of sound—are difficult to detect and harder to intercept, offer that potential.

The impending promise of hypersonic weapons is so great that Undersecretary of Defense for Research and Engineering Dr. Michael Griffin recently explained: “I’m sorry for everybody out there who champions some other high priority, some technical thing; it’s not that I disagree with those. But there has to be a first [priority], and hypersonics is my first.”


This sense of urgency is driven by two key variables: burgeoning capability gaps the American military seeks to close and the very real risk that China and Russia may field this technology in advance of the United States.




From a military perspective the desire to field hypersonic weapons makes sense. First, these weapons travel in excess of 3,600 miles per hour (6 miles per second) and currently, no military possesses a credible defense. Finding, tracking and intercepting something that fast is unprecedented. Given that Russia and China have invested heavily in advanced defensive technologies that now hold most of our traditional forms of power projection at risk, this is a significant advantage—it’s one that would impose major costs upon a defending nation.


Second, hypersonic weapons will allow commanders to close the window between identifying a target and striking it faster than historically possible. Potential future conflict will involve targets deep inside enemy battlespace, some mobile and difficult to find, so speed will provide a significant advantage. Standard flight speeds involve hours of transit time, allowing targets to slip away. Hypersonic weapons reduce hours of flight required for weapons today to minutes tomorrow.

[Admiral Ackbar]

To me the key is to defending against this is having a first rate submarine force. That portion of the triad has always been under appreciated. They keep the fear of retaliation in our enemies. Still virtually undetectable and lethal.

Just as our Carriers are generations ahead of everyone else so are is our Submarine force. Note I said Generations, not a generation. We have to keep our edge...

[Peter1469]

To me the key is to defending against this is having a first rate submarine force. That portion of the triad has always been under appreciated. They keep the fear of retaliation in our enemies. Still virtually undetectable and lethal.

Just as our Carriers are generations ahead of everyone else so are is our Submarine force. Note I said Generations, not a generation. We have to keep our edge...

I hear the new Russian subs are good. They are bigger too.

[Admiral Ackbar]

I hear the new Russian subs are good. They are bigger too.

Just saw an article about that. Apparently they have left their surface fleet go to pot and concentrated on the subs. They know the surface fleet can not compete and it is expensive. They have put all effort in subs. Not a bad strategy given their limitations.

Germany in both World wars made same choice for simfilar reasons