Recently, US defense contractor Lockheed Martin and CoAspire company launched a new hypersonic missile called Mako at the Sea Air Space 2024 maritime exhibition taking place in Washington, USA.
Lockheed Martin revealed that Mako is a multi-mission platform that is “highly survivable and affordable”. Using solid fuel rocket propulsion, Mako can fly at a speed of about 6,147km/h, approximately Mach 5 (5 times the speed of sound). This is the first time the US has introduced the Mako missile after 7 years of project development, although this missile is still in model form.
The Mako hypersonic missile is displayed at the Sea Air Space 2024 maritime exhibition. Photo: The WarZone
According to the manufacturer, Mako was developed to equip F-35 fighter jets. This is the first hypersonic weapon compatible with 5th generation fighter aircraft. This missile is also compatible with F-22, F-15, F-16, F/A-18 and several aircraft other. However, many details about the features of this hypersonic missile are still kept secret.
Regarding technical specifications, Mako has a length of 4m, a diameter of 33cm and a total weight of 590kg (of which the warhead weighs 50kg). This missile can also be launched from a surface ship or a submarine’s vertical launch system.
The Mako introduction booth at the Sea Air Space 2024 exhibition said that the F-35 fighter can carry up to 6 Mako missiles, including 4 missiles placed on external mounts and 2 missiles placed in the compartment. weapons in the fuselage. Currently, no hypersonic weapon under development in the US can be stored in the weapons bay of an F-35 fighter like the Mako. This feature helps the F-35 carry missiles without affecting its stealth feature, because hanging weapons outside will make the aircraft more susceptible to detection by enemy radar.
The launch of the Mako missile at the 2024 Sea Air Space show shows that Lockheed Martin and CoAspire are taking a significant step forward in the hypersonic arms race, providing a strategically transformative option in defense. of America.
Mako hypersonic missile.