The Russian general staff announced that it had used a new hypersonic missile in an attack on Ukraine in an attack carried out yesterday. This is the first time this weapon has been used in combat.
The hypersonic missile used is called Kinzhal (means “dagger”), was reportedly used in the attack on a large underground bunker in southwestern Ukraine.
Hypersonic technology: impregnable
The hypersonic missile is a weapon designed to fly at speeds in excess of five times the speed of sound, or Mach 5. In figures: approximately 6100 kilometers per hour (3.800 mph). In general, these weapons (already developed and tested with different outcomes from USA, Russia, China and North Korea) are currently impossible to intercept due to their speed and ability to maneuver towards a target.
Specifically, the Kinzhal Russian is an air-to-ground weapon carried by Russian MiG-31K fighters with a reported range of 1.240 miles (2.000 kilometers), according to a Tass report in 2018.
On that occasion, Russian President Vladimir Putin also announced the development of a hypersonic ICBM called Avangard that travels at Mach 20 to reach targets around the world.
Not just weapons (luckily)
Hypersonic technology is not only considered on a military level: there are several aerospace companies that rely on it to develop faster jets.
Stratolaunch startup announced last October that it had begun advanced research on the Talon, a hypersonic aircraft designed to fly at speeds of Mach 6 and be launched from an aircraft. And what a plane: the Roc, the largest plane in the world built specifically for mid-air rocket launches. Talon will serve as a test bed for the development of new hypersonic technologies for use in the government and commercial sectors.
In November, however, another company called Hermeus Corp. announced the development of Quarterhorse, an aircraft that travels at Mach 5 or higher for air travel. On this occasion he presented the first full size prototype.
