I did read your post, but I dont believe the missile pictured is a scram jet type, look at the intake: you honestly think an orifice that small is going to receive enough air to force feed a scram jet that small?
And from what aircraft are they going to launch a missile from an initial speed of mach 1.5 or greater to start the scram process?
That missile seen there is a small missile, does not contain enough fuel on board for more than a 60 second burn, regardless of it’s operating method, and if it reached mach 5 using a scram jet method of propulsion, it would be out of fuel within 60 to 90 seconds of burn time. The actual missile would have to have a 10 to 12” diameter to contain the fuel, avionics and warhead to even be a threat and not just a technology demonstrator.
that means the aircraft that launched it was within range of any and every counter measure and anti-aircraft system known before it reached it’s maximum velocity
speed is nice, but it has to actualy get to the target safely and within 15 miles to launch, paint the target, and release and stay on course and correct itself at that speed.
“I did read your post, but I dont believe the missile pictured is a scram jet type, look at the intake: you honestly think an orifice that small is going to receive enough air to force feed a scram jet that small?”
Yes. The scramjet design doesn’t require a dramatically larger inlet, as it doesn’t have a compressor up front. The air is compressed enough by the speed of the missile and the configuration of the nose cone. The nose cone of that missile is not a standard jet engine, it is an adjustable pressure/flow design similar to what the SR-71 used, which is a type of hybrid scramjet.
The only technology that exists today (AFAIK) to achieve these kind of missile speeds for extended time is with either rockets or ramjets.
The other reason I say it is a ramjet is that it’s based on the existing P-800 Oniks cruise missile design, which can fly at Mach 2.8 and utilizes a scramjet engine. Check out this pic:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/P-800_Oniks.
As for the boost phase to get it to Mach 5, I’m not sure what they would be using to do that. Some of the experimental designs have used rocket assist to get them up to speed.
Looks a lot like the air intake on an SR-71. The cone may well move in and out to provide air volume control.
The actual missile would have to have a 10 to 12” diameter to contain the fuel, avionics and warhead to even be a threat and not just a technology demonstrator.
A couple hundred pounds moving at Mach 5 doesn't need any explosives. It is the warhead.