Photo: Lockheed Martin
The next generation of airborne weapons will undoubtedly be hypersonic. Already a number of nations are playing around with the idea, some have a few in their inventory, and just one claims to have used such a device in combat.
Humans are used to going over the sound barrier, with most of the current fighter jets capable of easily doing that. Very few of them are capable of reaching Mach 2, though, while Mach 5, which is where hypersonic starts, is something that will probably never be achieved in an aircraft with humans on board.
But missiles can do that, and the latest group to prove it is the one working on something called the Hypersonic Air-breathing Weapon Concept (HAWC). The group comprises DARPA, the Air Force Research Lab (AFRL), Lockheed Martin and Aerojet Rocketdyne.
Back in September of last year, when we last heard something on the topic, the HAWC was launched for the first time, from the underbelly of an aircraft, and flew for an undisclosed distance, and at undisclosed speeds. It was a trial run meant to see if the weapon works and to get it ready for the true test, whose results were announced this week.
As per Lockheed Martin, HAWC flew at hypersonic speeds for the first time, without running into any issues. It reached Mach 5 (3,836 mph/6,173 kph) and soared to over 65,000 feet (19,812 meters), furthering the “understanding of operations in the high-speed flight regime” for the team behind the project.
The HAWC is a missile of sorts, scramjet-powered. It uses a solid rocket motor that forcibly compresses incoming air and shoves it inside the combustion chamber.
There is no estimate as to when the project will be considered complete, and no info on what kind of weapons might spawn from it.
But missiles can do that, and the latest group to prove it is the one working on something called the Hypersonic Air-breathing Weapon Concept (HAWC). The group comprises DARPA, the Air Force Research Lab (AFRL), Lockheed Martin and Aerojet Rocketdyne.
Back in September of last year, when we last heard something on the topic, the HAWC was launched for the first time, from the underbelly of an aircraft, and flew for an undisclosed distance, and at undisclosed speeds. It was a trial run meant to see if the weapon works and to get it ready for the true test, whose results were announced this week.
As per Lockheed Martin, HAWC flew at hypersonic speeds for the first time, without running into any issues. It reached Mach 5 (3,836 mph/6,173 kph) and soared to over 65,000 feet (19,812 meters), furthering the “understanding of operations in the high-speed flight regime” for the team behind the project.
The HAWC is a missile of sorts, scramjet-powered. It uses a solid rocket motor that forcibly compresses incoming air and shoves it inside the combustion chamber.
There is no estimate as to when the project will be considered complete, and no info on what kind of weapons might spawn from it.
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