Current US hypersonic weapons projects. (General)

[Grey Havoc]

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cgeqj1q8gj4o

 

[Forest Green]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1959079150204915796

View: https://x.com/planet4589/status/1959079150204915796

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/UGM-96_Trident_Ihttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Northrop_Grumman_Pegasus

The most numerous derivative of Pegasus is the booster for the Ground-based Midcourse Defense (GBMD) interceptor, basically a vertical (silo) launched Pegasus minus wing and fins, and with the first stage modified by addition of a Thrust Vector Control (TVC) system.

https://sattrackcam.blogspot.com/2025/08/an-upcoming-hypersonic-missile-test.html


On FT-3, its predecessor.
https://www.smdc.army.mil/Portals/38/Documents/DCSENG/Environmental_Assessments/FT-3_EA.pdf

 

[aonestudio]

https://www.yahoo.com/news/articles...ufacturer-considering-building-042200588.html
Castelion's Blackbeard hypersonic missile.

https://twitter.com/x/status/1953845510051127586

View: https://x.com/CastelionCorp/status/1953845510051127586

 

[dark sidius]

https://aviationweek.com/defense/ai...ames-designations-new-tbcc-propulsion-systems

 

[dark sidius]

https://aviationweek.com/defense/ai...-turbine-moves-forward-darpa-hypersonic-plane

 

[Josh_TN]

https://aviationweek.com/defense/ai...ames-designations-new-tbcc-propulsion-systems

Two from the same company? It paywalled so I cannot see the details, if there are any.

 

[bobbymike]

Please build, fly and let me see it before I die please.

 

[dark sidius]

Please build, fly and let me see it before I die please.

The same

 

[dark sidius]

Please build, fly and let me see it before I die please.

Like this one before I die

 

[Forest Green]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1961771781229842908

View: https://x.com/AirPowerNEW1/status/1961771781229842908

 

[Forest Green]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1938921502382137617

View: https://x.com/AirPowerNEW1/status/1938921502382137617

 

[Forest Green]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1963017758666289185

View: https://x.com/AirPowerNEW1/status/1963017758666289185

https://twitter.com/x/status/1963039143476220067

View: https://x.com/AirPowerNEW1/status/1963039143476220067

https://twitter.com/x/status/1963068860954767505

View: https://x.com/AirPowerNEW1/status/1963068860954767505

https://twitter.com/x/status/1963069684346970144

View: https://x.com/AirPowerNEW1/status/1963069684346970144

 

[bring_it_on]

Castelion's Blackbeard hypersonic missile.

https://twitter.com/x/status/1953845510051127586

This is not Blackbeard or a hypersonic missile.

 

[Sferrin]

...

 

[dark sidius]

https://aviationweek.com/defense/ai...ts-bids-hypersonic-engine-system-design-study

 

[flateric]

Moar PR art

https://twitter.com/x/status/1969793745328419075

View: https://x.com/L3HarrisTech/status/1969793745328419075

 

[Sferrin]

Ah. Aerojet / Atlantic Research. First thought was, "Harris? WTF?"

 

[dark sidius]

https://aviationweek.com/defense/ai...rospace-tests-two-rotating-detonation-ramjets

 

[bobbymike]

https://aviationweek.com/defense/mi...NpoIIwp9Sc2fVdNwNX_aem_yp7CCHmHN76BLINyKCW1wQ

 

[NMaude]

https://aviationweek.com/defense/mi...NpoIIwp9Sc2fVdNwNX_aem_yp7CCHmHN76BLINyKCW1wQ

The name "Angry tortoise" makes me want to smirk.

 

[Forest Green]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1970880911702180284

View: https://x.com/KratosDefense/status/1970880911702180284

https://interestingengineering.com/...le-tested?mc_cid=432cc6fec8&mc_eid=307947a252

The missile carried an “unusual payload” or hypersonic glide vehicle and was launched deep inside the Atlantic Ocean.

However, neither the US Navy nor Britain’s Royal Navy, the only operators of the Trident II D5, has publicly confirmed the test.

Does it relate to post #2602?
https://www.secretprojects.co.uk/th...ic-weapons-projects-general.30673/post-824764

 

[TomcatViP]

And a SolidFuel Ramjet* to add even more spices:

View: https://youtu.be/5_PuyKdHcrg


https://newatlas.com/military/ge-hypersonic-ramjet-engine-flight/
*ablative fuel injection

 

[NMaude]

And a SolidFuel Ramjet* to add even more spices:

View: https://youtu.be/5_PuyKdHcrg

I wonder if all of those F-104s in that video are airworthy?

 

[Sferrin]

https://aviationweek.com/defense/mi...NpoIIwp9Sc2fVdNwNX_aem_yp7CCHmHN76BLINyKCW1wQ

"The flight tests will not demonstrate a speed greater than Mach 5, the threshold for hypersonic flight."

And it appears to be a plain old rocket. Surprised there isn't a marketing team out there strutting the latest model of the "hypersonic" ATACMS. They could call it the, "Angry Dinosaur".

 

[Forest Green]

Angry Tortoise Liquid-Fueled Hypersonic Missile In Development For USAF​

https://www.twz.com/air/angry-tortoise-liquid-fueled-hypersonic-missile-in-development-for-usaf

Usra Major describes Draper as a “tactical” derivative of an earlier design called Hadley, which uses a more traditional fuel mixture with liquid oxygen as its oxidizer. Hadley is notably the rocket motor that powers Stratolauch’s Talon-A hypersonic test vehicle.

 

[raptor82]

https://sam.gov/workspace/contract/opp/20c6c7ffde6e4c14b6391f31411aef4f/view

The Naval Sea Systems Command (NAVSEA) is pleased to announce an Industry Day for the Naval Modular Missile (NMM) Program, scheduled for 21-22 October 2025 at the Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory (APL) in Laurel, Maryland. This event will provide an opportunity for industry partners to connect with the Navy and learn how they can contribute to a transformative and enduring surface warfare capability.

About the Naval Modular Missile (NMM) Program:
The NMM program is a next-generation initiative designed to revolutionize surface naval capabilities through:

• Multi-Mission Flexibility: A long-range hypersonic variant and scalable configurations to replace and enhance existing short-, medium-, and extended-range weapons.
• Enhanced Capacity: Multiple weapons in a single launcher cell, improving fleet endurance and combat effectiveness.
• Modular Open Architecture: A collaborative approach with the U.S. Air Force to establish an open government-reference architecture, enabling industry to develop and integrate best-of-breed solutions—from individual components to the All-Up Round.

 

[TomcatViP]

Moar PR art

https://twitter.com/x/status/1969793745328419075

View: https://x.com/L3HarrisTech/status/1969793745328419075

Also

 

[Ronny]

Angry Tortoise Liquid-Fueled Hypersonic Missile In Development For USAF​

https://www.twz.com/air/angry-tortoise-liquid-fueled-hypersonic-missile-in-development-for-usaf

I hope they don’t suddenly decide HACM is too hard to do then cancel it for this

 

[Forest Green]

I hope they don’t suddenly decide HACM is too hard to do then cancel it for this

Indeed, scrapping HACM for Angry Tortoise would make me an irritated armadillo.

 

[bring_it_on]

Angry Tortoise is an AFRL side gig. It is not a weapon program. The Air Force, with support from Congress, just invested money into HACM's industrial base so that it can deliver at a greater scale coming out of the MTA pathway. This is quite uncommon and signifies the broad support that exists within the service and Congress to not only get it across the line and into limited service in 2027, but also to invest in long term production infrastructure to deliver scramjet engines and other specialized components so that it can be fielded in quantity.

 

[NMaude]

Indeed, scrapping HACM for Angry Tortoise would make me an irritated armadillo.

Not an enraged Armadillo?

 

[Forest Green]

Unusual Trident II D5 Missile Launch Near Puerto Rico Fuels Speculation Amid US Venezuela Tensions​

https://armyrecognition.com/news/ar...-fuels-speculation-amid-us-venezuela-tensions

Yet the latest videos have raised the possibility that this test carried something unusual, possibly a hypersonic glide vehicle under evaluation. If so, that would mark an important development in defeating modern missile defenses.

According to some Russian sources, the September 21 launch may not have been a routine reliability test but instead involved an “unusual payload,” possibly a hypersonic glide vehicle.

 

[Josh_TN]

Not an enraged Armadillo?

I believe the global military standard is “ill tempered sea bass”.

 

[dannydale]

Moar PR art

https://twitter.com/x/status/1969793745328419075

View: https://x.com/L3HarrisTech/status/1969793745328419075

Ah nice, we're up to broadheads on fire. Must be some absolutely apoplectic killer whitetails out there!

 

[Forest Green]

Northrop Grumman Hypersonic Navigation System Exceeds Rocket Test Milestones
https://www.spacewar.com/reports/No...ystem_Exceeds_Rocket_Test_Milestones_999.html

 

[what_is_that]

Northrop Grumman Hypersonic Navigation System Exceeds Rocket Test Milestones
https://www.spacewar.com/reports/No...ystem_Exceeds_Rocket_Test_Milestones_999.html

What would the "reusable hypersonic vehicle" used for the earlier demonstrations be?

 

[TomcatViP]

Probably Stratolaunch Talon, although I can see only 2 flights with their reusable A2 variant of the vehicle.

 

[bobbymike]

Public event can watch online.

https://www.atlanticcouncil.org/eve...481&utm_content=383587481&utm_source=hs_email

 

[bobbymike]

Report
https://www.atlanticcouncil.org/in-...469&utm_content=384489469&utm_source=hs_emailCan’t find the PDF which I prefer

 

[Forest Green]

Hypersonic-Armed Destroyers and Submarines are Relocating to Hawaii​

https://www.navalnews.com/naval-new...yers-and-submarines-are-relocating-to-hawaii/

https://twitter.com/x/status/1977073929706782916

View: https://x.com/AirPowerNEW1/status/1977073929706782916