Hypersonic missiles are being developed all over the world: in Russia, the USA and China. According to experts, this type
What happened?
China tested a new hypersonic missile that carried a nuclear charge. The device was launched back in August 2021, but it became known only in mid-October.
During the flight, the hypersonic glider circled the entire Earth, and then headed towards its final destination, according to journalists from the Financial Times.
What is known about the new rocket?
The full characteristics of the new development are not indicated.According to information from sources close to the development and testing of a hypersonic missile, a Long March 2C rocket was launched during tests in China. On board was a gliding block - a very light aircraft that travels at a speed five times the speed of sound, about 6 thousand km / h.
The glider moved in a low orbit, and then flew towards the final goal. According to sources, the device missed by about 30 km. But even this is already great progress for the field of hypersonic weapons.
Presumably, the device was developed in the ChineseAcademy of Aerospace Aerodynamics. The fact that the tests took place became known for several indirect factors, for example, on July 19, the Chinese Missile Research Institute, responsible for the launches, announced the 77th launch of the Long March 2C rocket, and five days later, on August 24, 79- m launch. There was no information about the 78th launch in official sources.
What do experts think about development?
As stated by Taylor Fravel, professorMIT, a hypersonic vehicle coupled with a nuclear warhead could help China effectively defeat US missile defense systems designed to knock out nearby ballistic missiles.
Hypersonic missiles, not necessarily builtin China, move in lower trajectories, and can also dodge other objects while moving. Therefore, they are difficult to track down and destroy.
Taylor Fravel, an expert on Chinese nuclear weapons policy and a professor at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
How are hypersonic missiles being developed in China and around the world?
Today the development of hypersonic missilesare practiced all over the world. One of their types is a glider - a device is launched into space using a rocket and then, due to the received impulse, it begins to move towards its target.
The glider accelerates to speed five timesexceeding the speed of sound. This means that such a device flies slower than ballistic missiles, the latter’s speed is up to 28 thousand km/h. But both missiles have their pros and cons. For example, gliders do not move along a predictable path, but can evade and maneuver during flight. This means that a system designed to intercept ballistic missiles would be useless in this case.
At the end of September 2021, a test was conducted in the USAlaunch of the hypersonic complex Hypersonic Air-breathing Weapon Concept (HAWC). During the flight, the rocket's speed was five times higher than the speed of sound and amounted to approximately 6 thousand km/h. The Chinese glider showed similar results.
Such launches are also carried out in Russia:In early September 2021, the Northern Fleet frigate Admiral Gorshkov launched the Zircon hypersonic cruise missile. During the flight, the device accelerated to 9.5 thousand km / h. It is planned that the supersonic rocket will have a maximum speed of Mach 9: this is approximately 10.7 thousand km / h.
What are the challenges in developing hypersonic missiles?
Hypersonic missiles often overheat duringflight. When an object is accelerated to an ultra-fast speed, a huge amount of thermal energy is generated: it can damage the structure or disrupt the operation of the device. Scientists from the USA tried to solve this problem. They have developed 3D printed catalysts that are suitable for powering hypersonic flight and cooling the system at the same time. The catalyst is able to bring researchers closer to the mass creation of this type of device.
Also, hypersonic missiles are important to be safeland without damage to people and nearby buildings. During flight at hypersonic speed, conventional systems and on-board computers do not have time to calculate the trajectory for landing, and this becomes a serious problem when developing such a device.
Specialists from the Air Force of the People's Liberation Army of China have developed their own landing method, in which three landing options are calculated at once, depending on pressure and altitude.
The authors of the new development proposed to calculatefor each landing there are three descent models instead of one. And depending on the altitude and pressure, the on-board computer will select a specific descent model. The on-board computer is able to analyze such information.
Today, rocket developers are working onto make your device more maneuverable and inaccessible to air defense and missile defense systems. To do this, during the flight, the hypersonic missile must randomly change its direction, as well as choose an unusual trajectory for movement. In addition, the electronic equipment and shell of missiles must withstand the overloads that occur at high speeds.
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