The Telegraph newspaper on April 28 quoted information from the British Ministry of Defense confirming that hypersonic missiles capable of reaching speeds higher than Mach 5 will be designed and assembled entirely in this country by 2030.
According to the Telegraph, Britain’s plan to develop a hypersonic missile is still in the early stages and it is unclear whether this type of missile will be launched from land, sea or air.
The project seems to have been identified by British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak as a key focus for his plan to increase the defense budget by 75 billion pounds over the next 6 years. “Advanced projects like this are only possible thanks to huge new investment,” a defense source said.
Simulation of hypersonic missile image. Illustration photo: Telegraph
Since late last year, the Ministry of Defense has directed 80 companies to come up with possible designs. The framework agreement to develop hypersonic technology and capabilities was finalized in December and described as a “national mission”.
Sources involved in the project say building the rocket will be especially difficult because some of the necessary materials are not currently available and must be developed from scratch to withstand the high temperatures that come with hypersonic speeds. .
The article notes that the UK can buy hypersonic missiles from the US if there is a need to own this type of weapon sooner. However, the US has only tested hypersonic missiles and does not yet have a mass-produced version.
VNA
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