The United States is working to narrow the hypersonic weapons gap with its rivals

The United States is working to narrow the hypersonic weapons gap with its rivals

In the ongoing military rivalry between China and the United States, a new element has risen to prominence in recent years: hypersonic weapons. The main reason is that hypersonic weapons are capable of reaching at least Mach 5, or around 6,200 km/h. Yet while traditional long-range missiles such as ballistic missiles can reach similar speeds, hypersonic weapons can also fly at different altitudes and trajectories. This makes these weapons very difficult to defend with current anti-missile systems, such as the famous Patriot, because they can fly at lower altitudes while being very maneuverable and potentially having the ability to change targets mid-flight.

The speed of hypersonic weapons could also allow them to hit targets, such as mobile weapons systems, that are only vulnerable for short periods of time. In short, China and the United States view them as a key part of their future military arsenal.

As is often the case, being able to detect and counter these innovative new weapons systems is a key element for both countries. Last week, the U.S. Missile Defense Agency announced a milestone: its advanced missile tracking satellites successfully observed their first hypersonic flight test launched from Wallops Island, Virginia. These satellites are equipped with hypersonic and ballistic space sensor cameras. This flight marked the beginning of the agency's Hypersonic Test Bed, or HTB-1, designed for a range of hypersonic experiments. The current satellite constellation includes 10 satellites, with plans for future expansion to achieve global coverage.

It's part of the Missile Defense Agency's plan to strengthen its capabilities to track and intercept hypersonic missiles in the face of growing threats from Russia and China. Agency Director Lt. Gen. Heath Collins emphasized the urgency of this mission, with plans to make the Glide Phase interceptor fully operational by 2035. The agency's strategy includes integrating space and ground sensors to improve the accuracy of tracking and interception. In the meantime, it is investigating interim solutions to bridge the gap until the Glide Phase Interceptor is ready.

The National Defense Authorization Act of 2024 mandates initial capability by 2029 and full capability by 2032, although meeting these deadlines is difficult. Collins highlighted the need for innovative approaches and the potential use of existing weapons to augment current defense systems.

Furthermore, the Missile Defense Agency is awaiting a new charter, expected this summer, to restore some of the decision-making powers that were reduced in 2020. This new charter aims to streamline acquisition processes and strengthen the authority of the agency to accelerate missile deployment. defense capabilities.

China and Russia have already made significant progress in hypersonic missile technology. Both countries have tested and deployed ship-launched hypersonic weapons, giving them an advantage over the United States in this area. These advances pose a significant threat to U.S. naval forces, particularly in contested environments like the Pacific.

According to US media reports, China has made significant progress in hypersonic technology. Notably, the DF-27 hypersonic missile can fly to Hawaii and penetrate US missile defenses, posing a threat to US aircraft carriers. In addition, China has developed the Starry Sky-2, its first hypersonic vehicle, using so-called Waverider technology. Waverider technology harnesses an aircraft's shock waves to improve lift.

In recent years, China has conducted more hypersonic test flights than the United States, surprising competitors with its advances. These achievements highlight Beijing's progress in hypersonic systems, which present unique challenges due to their maneuverability and high speeds.

In Ukraine, Russia has used hypersonic weapons, both with the Kinzhal, which is launched from the air and targets ground installations, and with the Zircon, a naval missile with speed and even greater scope. North Korea is also known to have similar programs.

At the same time, the U.S. Navy is accelerating efforts to equip its fleet with ship-killing hypersonic missiles to narrow the firepower gap with China and Russia. The Air-Launched Hypersonic Offensive Anti-Surface Warfare Program aims to deploy hypersonic air-launched anti-ship cruise missiles by 2029, with potential expansions to surface and subsurface launch platforms. The initiative, part of the broader Offensive Anti-Surface Warfare project, involves competing designs from Raytheon and Lockheed Martin and promises acquisition advantages through economies of scale.

We clearly understand that space technology is crucial in the age of hypersonic weapons because of its role in detection, tracking, communication, interception and strategic advantage. We are seeing a faster convergence of various technologies that are becoming essential for the future of every country. In this case, space sensors provide early detection and continuous global coverage, essential for tracking hypersonic missiles. These satellites enable real-time data relay and integrated command systems, ensuring a coordinated defense response.

The United States plans to strengthen its capabilities to track and intercept hypersonic missiles in the face of growing threats from Russia and China.

Khaled Abou Zahr

Additionally, space-based interceptors and improved missile defense systems provide better means of intercepting hypersonic threats. This is why space technology is driving innovation today in many vertical areas, including propulsion, materials and guidance. All of this is essential for offensive and defensive hypersonic capabilities. It also provides situational awareness, thereby contributing to deterrence by maintaining a strong defensive posture against potential adversaries.

The crisis in Ukraine has confirmed the strategic importance of satellite constellations, prompting China and the United States to seek rapid and affordable ways to launch numerous satellites. The need for layoffs in times of conflict is an open secret that no one talks about.

A key element is providing the ability to rapidly launch large numbers of satellites to maintain space communications, intelligence, surveillance, reconnaissance and much more. Thus, the ability to quickly replace damaged or destroyed satellites in the event of conflict is becoming increasingly prevalent as new weapon systems are developed, especially as hypersonic spacecraft will also appear. And on this specific point, China may already have overtaken the United States.

• Khaled Abou Zahr is the founder of SpaceQuest Ventures, a space-focused investment platform. He is CEO of EurabiaMedia and editor-in-chief of Al-Watan Al-Arabi.

Disclaimer: The opinions expressed by the authors in this section are their own and do not necessarily reflect the views of Arab News.