That was my reaction as well.
I’ve seen the pics of the X-15 after the high speed flight where it started to melt. Not pretty. Iirc it as determined that there needed to be a quantum jump in materials science to reach and sustain that kind of speed.
I really doubt the ChiComs are there, or if they are they’re reaching a level where we’ve already been for a while.
The airplane first set speed records in the Mach 4-6 range with Mach 4.43 on March 7, 1961; Mach 5.27 on June 23, 1961; Mach 6.04 on November 9, 1961; and Mach 6.7 on October 3, 1967. It also set an altitude record of 354,200 feet (67 miles) on August 22, 1963, and provided an enormous wealth of data on hypersonic air flow, aerodynamic heating, control and stability at hypersonic speeds, reaction controls for flight above the atmosphere, piloting techniques for reentry, human factors, and flight instrumentation. The highly successful program contributed to the development of the Mercury, Gemini, and Apollo piloted spaceflight programs as well as the Space Shuttle program. The program’s final flight was performed on October 24, 1968.
http://history.nasa.gov/x15/cover.html
Mach 6.7 on October 3, 1967 ... that was 48 years ago ...
Today??
“I’ve seen the pics of the X-15 after the high speed flight where it started to melt. Not pretty. Iirc it as determined that there needed to be a quantum jump in materials science to reach and sustain that kind of speed.”
I can assure you we are well beyond that stage. I saw photos of one mans skin design as a test panel. Basic keep it simple stupid philosophy. It was brilliant, so much so it nearly brought tears to my eyes, and it was never used to my knowledge is the sad part. American innovators, all they ask is to turn them loose.