Hypersonic Missiles: The arms race in the world has now reached a point where speed has become the real power. Hypersonic missiles are considered to be the most dangerous part of this race, which are so fast and clever that it becomes very difficult to stop them. This is the reason why these missiles remain a cause of concern even for a superpower like America.
Use in war changed the picture for the first time
In the year 2022, Russia used its hypersonic missile Kinzhal during the conflict against Ukraine. This was the first time that such a sophisticated missile was fielded in a real war. This missile, launched from a fighter jet, reached its target flying many times faster than the speed of sound and the world came to know about its power.
Why are these missiles dangerous?
The biggest feature of hypersonic missiles is their speed and flexibility. These missiles can achieve speeds ranging from Mach 5 to Mach 10. But being fast is not just their strength, they can change their path in the air, can fly down and can dodge the enemy's air defense system.
While conventional ballistic missiles travel on a fixed path, hypersonic weapons keep changing direction during flight. This is the reason why it becomes very difficult to track and bring them down.
Russia and China's rise
Russia and China are progressing rapidly in this technology. Both countries have developed or are working on many hypersonic weapons. On the other hand, the United States has not yet been able to create a completely successful weapon in this field, although it is working on several projects.
kinjhal
Kinzhal missile is considered to be Russia's most popular hypersonic technology. It is launched from a fighter jet and can reach a speed of about Mach 10. Both conventional or nuclear weapons can be installed in it. However, in recent conflicts it has also been intercepted in some cases, raising questions about its invincibility.
Zircon and Avangard
Russia is working on another hypersonic missile named Zircon which flies with the help of a scramjet engine and moves forward on its own with oxygen. This increases both its range and speed. Whereas Avangard is a glide vehicle which separates from the ballistic missile and moves towards the target at very high speed and can change direction on the way. It is being considered a big threat to the existing defense system.
China's DF-17 and new technology
China has also developed hypersonic missiles like DF-17 which reaches the target while flying at low altitude. Its speed and weight make it extremely dangerous for ships. Apart from this, missiles like Xingkong-2 are based on a new design which moves by “surfing” on the shockwave. This technology may prove to be more lethal in the future.
Traditional missiles still important
Although hypersonic weapons are advancing rapidly, conventional missiles still play an important role in war. Its clear effect has been seen in the Ukraine war where even ordinary rockets and missiles proved decisive.
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