China developing global-range hypersonic complex

August 9, 2024 09:10

China’s hypersonic weapons are poised for a significant upgrade, according to scientists involved in a project to develop a new type of hypersonic glide vehicle (HGV), Report informs referring to the South China Morning Post.

Using a trajectory similar to a skipping stone, the hypersonic glide vehicle can dive into and jump out of the atmosphere repeatedly at speeds exceeding Mach 15, thanks to a new solid-fuel booster capable of multiple ignitions.

A hypersonic glide vehicle is a type of warhead that can maneuver and glide at hypersonic speed to control a missile’s trajectory after launch.

By using the skipping stone trajectory, a missile’s kill range can be increased by more than one-third, extending the primary use of the hypersonic gliders from a regional conflict to a global operation.

This new generation of hypersonic weapons “possesses significant advantages in [military] application, featuring a long range, high maneuverability and unpredictability”, the team led by Yong Enmi, a researcher with the China Aerodynamics Research and Development Centre, wrote in a peer-reviewed paper published in the Chinese Journal of Astronautics in June.