I

 

know...

Eurasian times etc.

tabloidish at times, other times?

One of the few places to get such information.

Just odd to me you dont see this story more frequently than you do.

US Air Force Successfully Tests Hypersonic Airbreathing Weapon Concept (HAWC) Missile – Pentagon

I mean, here's your top search results:

Yahoo?

Popular Mechanics?

Air Force magazine?

Not exactly the front burner of where most people get their information from these days.

The discerning mind ask:

WHY IS THAT?

My personal belief is the US government doesn't want you to know just how far behind we actually are.

"The US Air Force conducted a successful final test flight of the Hypersonic Airbreathing Weapon Concept (HAWC) missile, the Pentagon said on Monday."

“The joint DARPA and US Air Force Hypersonic Airbreathing Weapon Concept (HAWC) completed yet another successful flight test,” the Pentagon said in a press release.'

“The Lockheed Martin version of the missile, with its Aerojet Rocketdyne scramjet, capped a program that accomplished all of its initial objectives. It was the final flight test for HAWC, which is providing critical data to inform Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) hypersonic technology maturation efforts.”

(Ways to go yet basically)

The Pentagon added that the hypersonic missile again flew at speeds greater than Mach 5 at higher than 60,000 feet and farther than 345 miles.

(By comparison?

The Russian Zircon Hypersonic Missile has a Maximum speed of Mach 9 at a height of  92,000 ft and a range of 540 - 620 nautical miles. It's faster, larger, has more range, and has already been deployed by the Russian Navy. This is a big reason I am saying LOOK OUT! This operational advantage isn't going to be enjoyed very long and both the Russians and the Chinese know it.)

"The test flight demonstrated improved capabilities and performance, the release said, adding that the United States’ hypersonic portfolio now includes two feasible hypersonic airbreathing missile designs from Lockheed Martin and Raytheon that it can continue to further develop in the future.'

(Like I said, a ways to go yet if we are just now getting "two feasible...designs" that we can "continue to further develop in the future." Goes back to my assertion that this is why you are not hearing much about this.)

"Earlier in January,  former US President Donald Trump said he will develop a new missile defense shield for the United States if re-elected president in 2024 in order to address the increasing threat posed by hypersonic missiles.

“There is no greater danger than the deadly menace of nuclear weapons and hypersonic missiles,” Trump said in a video statement. “When I’m Commander in Chief… I will work with Congress and our great military leaders… to build a state-of-the-art, next-generation missile defense shield." 

(Yeah just like the wall right?

Yo Donald?

Kinda hard to build a "state-of-the-art, next-generation missile defense shield" 

When we dont even have the missile technology developed yet.)

"Trump compared such a system to the Iron Dome system utilized by Israel.

(Yeah...the one designed for slow, low flying rockets there Donald?

"The Ukrainian Defence Minister Oleksii Reznikov has explained the flaws in Iron Dome, if deployed to Ukraine: "We all know the example of Israel, which protects the sky quite well. We all know the name Iron Dome, but even it does not give 100% protection. In fact, I’ve been to Israel and talked to their manufacturers and state enterprises. Iron Dome was built [for protection] against slow, low-altitude, low-impact missiles that were basically made in garages. Iron Dome does not protect against cruise and ballistic missiles.")

"Trump said the world has become “vastly more dangerous” under current President Joe Biden. Trump also said the nuclear rhetoric was not employed against the US under his administration, but that foreign adversaries are using it now because they lack respect for the present leadership."

(Complete nonsense but people will buy it:

"the world has become “vastly more dangerous” under current President Joe Biden.

The world is going to continue to be “vastly more dangerous” no matter who the US president is. 

Period. 

There is no changing this trajectory folks.

"foreign adversaries are using it (nuclear rhetoric) now because they lack respect for the present leadership."

How about we just face the facts that our adversaries will use them?

Queue the Prince song somebody...

)

I love you honey :-).