Fun_Designer7898 t1_j4i8155 wrote
Reply to comment by lughnasadh in The Stratolaunch Roc, the largest aircraft ever flown, has just completed a 6-hour test flight. It aims to be a platform to launch reusable hypersonic craft from an altitude of 10 km by lughnasadh
The statement about hypersonics might be misleading
China uses hypersonic boost glide vehicles, basically a rocket that propels to hypersonic speeds, nothing new, hypersonic speeds have been achieved in the 40's already when looking at rockets reaching orbit
The US has two working prototypes for a hypersonic cruise missile, which are much much more sophisticated because it uses air breathing engines to propel the missile
lughnasadh OP t1_j4i9j7u wrote
>>basically a rocket that propels to hypersonic speeds, nothing new
I'm not an expert on any of this, but many US military figures have commented the Chinese craft exceeds US capabilities.
Also, it can stay in orbit in space with nuclear weapons for prolonged periods of time, before re-entering Earth at hypersonic speeds - so this isn't something that anyone has been able to do before.
Fun_Designer7898 t1_j4i9xu1 wrote
The X-37 is literally able to stay in orbit for a very long time, with the ability to carry nukes. It was first introduced in 2010, so it's not something never done before lile you said
lughnasadh OP t1_j4iaadu wrote
>>The X-37
Yes, but it glides in to land at a leisurely pace, and would be easy to shoot down.
The danger with craft at hypersonic speeds is that they are almost impossible to shoot down or defend against.
Fun_Designer7898 t1_j4iava8 wrote
What? You know that it can drop nukes if it needs to, there is no need to re arm them because those are nuked we are talking about
Also, if china uses a missile, it needs to produce a new one, the US could drop the load AND make it land, reload and take off again
Hypersonic missiles can be intercepted, it will get easier with laser weapons
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