Overview
New hypersonic strike weapons technology will reduce strategic warning times. What does this mean for Defence and Australia?
Hypersonic technology has attracted a growing level of media interest. Successful tests of hypersonic systems by the United States, China, and Russia have raised concerns that we will soon see hypersonic weapons appearing in the battlespace. But despite the success of these experimental vehicles, much work remains to be done to overcome a number of challenges before hypersonic systems can become operational.
Key Terms
Hypersonic
The term hypersonic is used to refer to speeds in the high supersonic range, more specifically speeds greater than five times the speed of sound (>Mach 5).