Neither American nor Russian, the secret Chinese missile that hits 9 times the speed of sound

In a world where nations race to dominate hypersonic weaponry, China has quietly emerged with a potential game-changer. While most headlines focus on American and Russian advancements, Beijing has been working on something rather special – an air-to-air hypersonic missile reportedly capable of speeds over Mach 9. That’s nine times the speed of sound to you and I.

Details are sparse, but what is known hints at a weapon with unprecedented capabilities. The missile, according to reports, has passed final heat-resistance tests in China’s Mars Mission wind tunnel, a facility designed for simulating extreme environments like those faced by space probes landing on planets. This marks the first official acknowledgment of the weapon’s existence, as revealed in the peer-reviewed journal Equipment Environmental Engineering. Note that the image above is an artist’s impression.

Here’s a news report looking at developments.

More on China’s Mars Mission wind tunnel

As explained, the Mars Mission wind tunnel, located in Luoyang, Henan province, operates by heating gas with an electric arc, generating airflows as hot as 21,500°F (12,000°C). Such conditions are rare and costly to simulate, but essential for evaluating the missile’s ability to withstand the extreme heat generated by air friction during hypersonic flight.

This isn’t your average piece of military hardware. The missile’s ability to survive temperatures exceeding 2,192°F (1,200°C) suggests that every inch of its structure – not just its nose cone – has been engineered to withstand the brutal forces of high-speed atmospheric travel.

At speeds of Mach 9 or more, even the smallest design flaw could lead to catastrophic failure. As noted by the project leads, Cheng Gong and Huang Yimin from the China Airborne Missile Academy, “Extreme thermal environments may induce stresses and deformations in the missile structure, affecting its aerodynamics and flight stability.”

What makes China’s missile so dangerous?

Hypersonic missiles aren’t new, but China’s previous designs have focused on ground or sea targets. This new air-to-air weapon poses unique challenges, especially for the United States.

Aircraft like the B-21 Raider stealth bomber rely on advanced defenses, but at Mach 9, a missile leaves pilots only seconds to react. Even the most sophisticated countermeasures would struggle against such speed.

Worse, these weapons are often maneuverable. Hypersonic glide vehicles, for example, can change course mid-flight, making them nearly impossible to intercept. If this missile has similar capabilities, it could neutralize traditional aerial defenses.

Strategic implications of China’s weapon

The U.S. and its allies are already scrambling to counter China’s hypersonic advances. The U.S. Navy has been looking at deploying Patriot Advanced Capability-3 (PAC-3) interceptors on ships. These smaller, more agile defenses could provide a critical line of protection, but integrating them will require extensive testing and significant investment.

It’s not the first time this type of news has been reported, as tensions continue to grow across the globe.

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