China and Russia boost hypersonic technology.

"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. 

"Illustration of the Oreshnik hypersonic missile, a key element in Russia's military strategy. Image generated by AI."(Rude Baquette, Illustration of the Oreshnik hypersonic missile, a key element in Russia's military strategy. Image generated by AI)

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/

The new air-breathing hypersonic missiles are entering service soon.

 

Image: 1) 

Creating air-breathing hypersonic technology is more difficult, than using regular rockets and hypersonic gliders. Those gliders are connected with regular rockets. Most hypersonic missiles are regular systems that use regular rocket engines and hypersonic gliders. Hypersonic gliders are warheads that are designed to act like extremely fast gliders. 

But air-breathing hypersonic systems are necessary for the creation of hypersonic jet fighters. A hypersonic glider is like some kind of space shuttle that is shot to ballistic jump. That system can fly in the atmosphere the entire time. Or if the rocket booster is strong that can rise that system to earth orbiter. 

The air-breathing hypersonic system can be shot from aircraft. Or it can also shoot to ballistic trajectory by using a rocket booster. The air-breathing hypersonic missile can fly in a high atmosphere. Those systems can dive back into the atmosphere far away from the target. They are flying lower than satellites or regular missiles. But higher than regular cruise missiles and that makes them hard targets. 

But air-breathing hypersonic technology makes it possible to create aircraft that are flying higher than ever before. The reason why hypersonic technology makes aircraft fly at very high altitudes is that the speed of the aircraft will drive more air into the engine than slow-flying aircraft. That air-breathing hypersonic aircraft can make the SR-71 look like a moped. 

Image 2) "This artist’s rendering shows the Hypersonic Air-breathing Weapon Concept, which will integrate Raytheon Technologies’ air-breathing hypersonic weapons with scramjet combustors from Northrop Grumman. The HAWC program is a joint effort of the U.S. Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency and U.S. Air Force". (Aerotechnews/Two-for-two: Hypersonic missile passes the second consecutive test)

The Raytheon long-range hypersonic missiles are reaching the speed of Mach 5. Those missiles are the next-generation systems that can have a longer range than traditional rocket-based hypersonic missiles. The air-breathing hypersonic weapon (HAWC) is one of the versions of the hypersonic systems that are entering service. 

The air-breathing hypersonic missiles are systems that can use for many purposes. The hypersonic aircraft can take the rocket to a ballistic jump. That system takes the rocket to the edge of space. And then the system can shoot things like Pegasus rockets that can carry satellites or ASAT (Anti-Satellite) weapons to Earth orbiter. 

Image 3:) DefendTex D40 kamikaze drone

Image 4:) Pegasus XL Under" StarGlaser" mothership. Hypersonic systems can take those air-launched rockets to high altitudes where they can rise higher trajectories. (Wikipedia).

The air-breathing hypersonic systems will revolutionize spaceflight. 

Even if there are rules about the use of space. The military is very interesting in space weapons like killer satellites. The killer satellites can protect things like GPS satellites against ASAT missiles. And the satellites that use small diameter bombs can use against ground-based laser stations. 

Those satellites can drop also killer drones through the atmosphere. And they can assassinate even individual persons if they use new and effective, small-size quadcopters like Australian DefendTex D40 kamikaze drones (Image 3). DefendTexD40 can deliver from hands, it can be shot by using mortars or dropped from airborne or even satellites. Those drones can be controlled by using satellites and their small size makes them very dangerous. 

That thing means that we should re-estimate the personal protection of the primary actors of the governments. The reconnaissance, GPS, and communication satellites are playing vital roles in modern warfare. And that makes those systems legal targets. 

The RDE (Rotation Detonation Engine) can make the small-size solid fuel scramjet and ramjet systems possible. 

Hypersonic systems are coming and the next-generation jet fighters can have the ability to hypersonic speed. But also the artillery grenades that use ramjet or scramjet engines can be the next-generation tools. The RDE (Rotation Detonation Engine) engine can be useful in the ramjets and scramjets that use solid fuel. 

The solid fuel is like sausage around the stick in the middle of the structure and the air that is moving in the chamber like the screw is burning that fuel. That kind of small-diameter high-speed ammunition can be even more effective than the famous HiMARS system. 

https://www.aerotechnews.com/blog/2022/08/18/two-for-two-hypersonic-missile-passes-second-consecutive-test/

https://www.ediweekly.com/us-airforce-tests-hypersonic-missile-successfully-at-five-times-speed-of-sound/

https://eurasiantimes.com/chinese-firm-claims-breakthrough-in-novel-engine-tech/?amp

https://gagadget.com/en/159013-australia-will-provide-ukraine-with-300-defendtex-d40-kamikaze-drones-that-can-be-launched-from-a-mortar/

Image 1:) https://asiatimes.com/2020/08/meet-mayhem-the-usafs-multi-role-hypersonic-weapon/

Image 2:)https://www.aerotechnews.com/blog/2022/08/18/two-for-two-hypersonic-missile-passes-second-consecutive-test/

Image 3:) 300-defendtex-d40-kamikaze-drones-that-can-be-launched-from-a-mortar/

Image 4:) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Northrop_Grumman_Pegasus

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