China's New Hypersonic Missile Can Scream Past US Air Defenses

Gizmodo ^ | 15 Jan 2014 | Gizmodo

[James C. Bennett]

Just what we need, another arms race. China's stepping up its bid for ballistic missile superiority, having just successfully test-fired the country's first hypersonic missile delivery vehicle, one capable of penetrating American air defenses to potentially deliver nuclear warheads. The Pentagon is not amused.

The WU-14 hypersonic glide vehicle (HGV) is part of China's extremely secretive missile development program, which has been quietly modernizing the country's conventional and nuclear missile systems. The missile test itself was not broadcast among any public channels but was detected, an anonymous Pentagon official confirmed with the Washington Free Beacon, flying at extremely high speeds over mainland China on January 9. And while details of the HGV are very slim at this point, analysts believe it works much like the HGV's developed by other nations including the US, India and Russia.

It's assumed that the HGV is launched aboard an ICBM, separates from the missile's final stage while still in space, some 62 miles above the planet's surface, and then zooms back into the atmosphere at more than ten times the speed of sound—around mach 10 or 7,680 miles per hour. That's fast enough to enter American airspace before we even react. By comparison, today's cruise missile technology tops out at around 500 to 600 mph.

This prospect does not sit well with many members of Congress, including Republican House Armed Services Committee members Rep. Howard P. "Buck" McKeon, Rep. Randy Forbes and Rep. Mike Rogers. The three issued a joint statement last Tuesday calling for a redoubling of American efforts to maintain pace with the rate of Chinese military developments.

"While round after round of defense cuts have knocked America's technological advantage on its back, the Chinese and other competitor nations push towards military parity with the United States; in some cases, as in this one, they appear to be leaping ahead of us," the statement read. "This situation does nothing to support peaceful coexistence in the Pacific. We have dithered for three decades now, delaying badly needed replacement equipment for our troops, relying on hardware that was built during the Reagan years."

Lt. Col. Jeffrey Pool, a Marine Corps spokesman who confirmed that the test took place, was decidedly non-plussed however. He told the Washington Free Beacon:

"We routinely monitor foreign defense activities and we are aware of this test. However, we don't comment on our intelligence or assessments of foreign weapon systems. We encourage greater transparency regarding their defense investments and objectives to avoid miscalculation."

You know, miscalculations like a worldwide thermonuclear holocaust. [Washington Times - Defense Tech - RT - Washington Free Beacon.

[tet68]

It may be going Mach 10 when it enters the atmosphere
but it will have to slow down the lower it gets
any way.

[duckworth]

If anyone gets worried about communist schemes just remind them that Joe McCarthy was an uncool doofus. Nobody wants to be am uncool doofus.

[spawn44]

Can it scream pass laser beams.

[GraceG]

NSA too busy monitoring citizens, gun owners and pro-lifers. Nothing to see or hear over there.

NASA too busy making Moose-Limbs feel better about themselves...

[Charles Martel]

Fifteen years ago China was reported to be on the cusp of employing a supercaveating torpedo.

Let the buyer really, really beware.

;-)

[fwdude]

Done while homObama was busy making queers in the military feel special.

[PotatoChop]

Certainly:

http://rense.com/general20/laser.htm

http://news.yahoo.com/navys-laser-weapon-blasts-bad-215808231.html

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/04/09/world/navy-deploying-laser-weapon-prototype-in-persian-gulf.html?_r=0

http://usnews.nbcnews.com/_news/2013/04/08/17658147-navy-unveils-powerful-ship-mounted-laser-weapon?lite

[The Great RJ]

History is repeating. In 1938 Great Britain appeased Hitler and the US had wound down its military forces to those of a second rate power. The US also largely ignored the build up of Japan and tried half assed diplomacy and the League of Nations to deal with an increasing Japanese threat.

We have now appeased Iran and are again ignoring an increasing threat in Asia and all the time decimating the US military. Just like in 1939, the stage is set for another world war.

[PotatoChop]

“A portable, ground-based laser has successfully destroyed four rockets and zapped an unmanned aerial system in a series of tests designed to demonstrate the war-fighting technology, Lockheed Martin announced Tuesday.”

http://www.nbcnews.com/technology/ground-based-laser-zaps-rockets-tests-1C7284867

[skinkinthegrass]

not likely...but then, the weaponed Lasers' plans / blueprints were...
probably sold to the ChiComm$ by the 'Toon$ / 0'ButtPlug anyways

[ProtectOurFreedom]

Airborne Laser program was killed by Gates in 2012. It had a range of about 180 miles — so it wasn’t effective against large countries like Russia and China. It would have cost $1.5 BILLION per plane which means the fly-off cost would have been $3 BILLION or more per copy. Each plane would use up its consumables after 6 - 10 shots and would have to refuel its ammo. A reload of the toxic chemicals used in the COIL Laser would fill two C-17 transport planes; midflight reprovisioning of ammo was a bit problematic.

Please provide more info on “our new lasers.” I’d love to hear about a program that solved all the ABL difficulties.

Also, for a while, there was concern that a bug-splat on the laser window would cause the plane to explode when the laser fired and the megawatts of energy would heat the window. I’m not sure how that was resolved (maybe an airborne squeegee man?).

[null and void]

Can I get a source on those laser weapons please? (not doubting you, just very interested). Last I had heard, many of those programs were shut down (specifically one laser mounted in an air frame).

The COIL laser.

Ping

[PotatoChop]

Please read post #31

The only reason why I did all this research for you was to show you how long the US has been working with laser technology!

The US Navy just mounted a laser on their ship (2014) if you read the article I posted.

While the Chinese are building supersonic missiles to combat American missile defense systems, we are fielding lasers.

[central_va]

Free Trade™ paying dividends again. All hail gloBULLism, all hail the New World Oder.

[PotatoChop]

I’m sorry post #29!

[TigersEye]

Pei ping

[brooklin]

These laser weapons, which 3 of your posts are the same thing, won’t touch a warhead or a marv.

[PotatoChop]

I did not read my post #29 did you? Here it is again!

“A portable, ground-based laser has successfully destroyed four rockets and zapped an unmanned aerial system in a series of tests designed to demonstrate the war-fighting technology, Lockheed Martin announced Tuesday.”

http://www.nbcnews.com/technology/ground-based-laser-zaps-rockets-tests-1C7284867

[Ghost of SVR4]

Thanks..

[Pride in the USA]

China sees an opportunity as America continues to decline. Do you suppose that the threat from China is the reason our current administration bought 14 million doses of potassium iodate?