"Illustration of the Feitian 2 hypersonic vehicle demonstrating advanced flight capabilities. Image generated by AI." (Rude Baquette, “China Just Went Hypersonic”: Feitian 2 Test Stuns the World With Blistering Speeds That Could Redefine Global Airpower)
The Chinese hypersonic jet makes a great advance in flight and it will revolutionize commercial- and military operations. The Feitian 2 drone is a great advance for hypersonic missiles and aviation technology. That drone launched from a spaceport using a regular rocket and that system gives more information about how to solve problems that the hypersonic systems face when they travel across the atmosphere. Those systems are ultimate tools for use against ships and hardened targets. The Mach 10 capable missile that flies at quite a low altitude is a hard target for defense. Those systems can use stealth technology and those smooth shapes that the hypersonic systems need are suitable for stealth systems.
The hypersonic cruise missile can jump out of the atmosphere and then dive back. That allows them to ignite scramjet engines. If those hypersonic missiles are quite small, they can be installed on the ballistic missile along with regular warheads. So in that kind of system, the hypersonic missile can strike with regular warheads. The thing is that the hypersonic systems can also use regular rocket engines. The thing that makes them dangerous is this. They create very strong pressure cones. And that cone can also cause damage. The kinetic energy system doesn’t require a warhead at all. When a 1000 kg vehicle hits a target with speed Mach 10 it causes a very strong impact.
The real strike capacity of the Oreshnik missile depends on the warheads. If those warheads are designed to act as hypersonic gliders, HGS or that system carries scramjet-driven cruise missiles that can be very powerful weapons. Those HGS systems can look a little bit like spearheads. And that gives them the smooth flight profile that allows those systems to strike with variable angles.
For comparison, the GAU-8 Avenger cannon’s uranium ammunition hits targets with a speed of Mach 1,5 and that is enough to destroy the main battle tank. So what if the Mach 10 drone is equipped with GAU-8? The normal muzzle velocity for that ammunition is 1,013 m/s. And the aircraft's speed increases at the same rate as the aircraft travels. When that ammunition takes Mach 10 speed with it that rises the muzzle velocity to a level that is many times higher than if it is connected to an aircraft that travels at 600 km/h That thing gives extremely powerful impact energy to that ammunition. So what happens if Mach 10 aircraft open fire with GAU-8 against the city?
The Russian researchers are working with a new Mach 10 missile called “Oreshnik”. The weapon is classified as an IRBM (Intermediate range ballistic missile. That thing makes them easier to install on mobile launchers than the strategic missiles. The missile itself finds targets independently. There is also the possibility of creating hypersonic cruise missiles or hypersonic gliders for the larger missiles.
Those missiles can destroy ships and ground targets from a great distance. Strategic anti-ship missiles that can attack targets from thousands of kilometers are frightening tools. Those systems are following the Russian doctrine where political security is in the primary role. Hypersonic missiles that lay in silos or mobile launchers are always under the observation of the security troops. The long-range anti-ship missiles can threaten NATO surface battle units and convoys. Basically, the RS-28 (Sarmat) or older RS-36 (SS-18 “Satan”) can carry those missiles against the fleet and other targets like command centers.
https://www.euractiv.com/section/politics/news/russia-could-launch-another-hypersonic-missile-at-ukraine-soon-us-official-says/
https://www.rudebaguette.com/en/2025/06/china-just-went-hypersonic-feitian-2-test-stuns-the-world-with-blistering-speeds-that-could-redefine-global-airpower/
https://www.rudebaguette.com/en/2025/06/putin-orders-mach-10-missile-surge-russia-escalates-hypersonic-arsenal-with-terrifying-new-strike-capabilities-ready-for-deployment/
