US defense contractor Northrop Grumman urges Washington to invest more in hypersonic weapons: Tech : Tech Times

At the recent Eurosatory defense exhibition, US contractor Northrop Grumman highlighted the urgent need for more investment in hypersonic weapons.

Bridget Slayen, Northrop Grumman's senior international program communicator, stressed the critical importance of not lagging behind global competitors in the development of advanced military technologies (via South China Morning Post).

Global competition on hypersonic weapons

Although no countries are named in the statement, Northrop Grumman's call for action comes as the United States faces fierce competition from geopolitical rivals China and Russia, which have both made major advances in hypersonic weapons technology in recent years.

Slayen noted that threats around the world are driving interest in the company's air defense and missile products from partners in Europe and the Asia-Pacific region.

“If another country [has] hypersonic missiles… we would like [make] “We are confident that we have the best deterrents possible,” Slayen said, emphasizing the need for the United States to maintain its superiority in advanced weapons.

One of the key projects that Northrop Grumman is involved in is the Hypersonic Attack Cruise Missile (HACM) program. Launched in 2022, the HACM is a scramjet-powered air-breathing cruise missile capable of flying at speeds in excess of Mach 5.

The US Air Force aims to field this weapon by 2027, with flight test activities expected to mature by fiscal year 2025.

In March, the US Air Force completed testing of its AGM-183A air-launched Rapid Response Hypersonic Weapon (ARRW). Chinese think tanks suggested the development sent a “strong message” to Beijing.

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Growing demand for defense systems

The increase in investment in hypersonic technology is part of a broader trend in defense spending, driven by ongoing global conflicts and rising geopolitical tensions.

The Russian invasion of Ukraine and subsequent missile exchanges between Moscow and kyiv had a significant impact on the demand for advanced defense systems.

Additionally, tensions in the Taiwan Strait and the South China Sea make it even more necessary to build strong air and missile defense capabilities in Europe and the Asia-Pacific region.

The superiority of China and Russia in hypersonic weapons

Northrop Grumman's efforts to invest more in hypersonic weapons come amid significant progress being made by China and Russia.

China's DF-17, a medium-range missile system equipped with a hypersonic glide vehicle, has been operational since 2019 and is capable of striking targets up to 1,600 kilometers away.

Additionally, China is currently developing an air-launched ballistic missile version of the DF-21, with a range of 3,000 kilometers, which is expected to be put into service next year.

In March, China also unveiled a hypersonic missile with a range of 2,000 km, surpassing existing air defense capabilities. The new missile is a long-range, solid-fuel air-to-ground missile (SAM) targeting aircraft and early warning bombers.

In Ukraine, Russia used its Kh-47M2 Kinzhal air-launched hypersonic missiles in March 2022, a month after the start of its invasion.

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