Hypersonic Missile Research and Doctrine

Artist's conception of HyStrike in flight and internally. This is one hoped for practical product of hypersonic missile research.
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On July 11, 2007 I did a post on progress of Australia-DARPA "HyCause" hypersonic ramjet research. Something that may now be using results from that research (or working in parallel) is the "HyFly" test series.

From Defence Talk.com, October 6, 2008 comes the following:

ST. LOUIS: Boeing has been awarded an $18.3 million follow-on contract from the U.S. Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) to conduct a third powered flight of the HyFly hypersonic missile. HyFly is powered by a Dual Combustion Ramjet (DCR) engine.

"The DCR engine is designed to accelerate HyFly and sustain flight at Mach 6," said Carl Avila, director of Advanced Weapons and Missile Systems for Boeing. "This will be a major step in the development of a weapon system that could revolutionize the military's ability to respond rapidly to time-critical threats hundreds of miles away. It will demonstrate that hypersonic weapons are viable and will put us one step closer to making a high-speed strike weapon available to the warfighter."

This third HyFly test follows two initial flights that, while partially successful, yielded significant data that will be useful in completing a successful test flight. The first flight in September 2007 successfully tested stage separation, inlet cover ejection, and DCR engine ignition. A software error prevented missile acceleration, ending the test.

For the second test in January 2008, HyFly successfully boosted to Mach 3.5. The missile achieved stage separation and inlet cover ejection, but the DCR engine failed to light due to a malfunction in the fuel system unrelated to the engine. HyFly remained under control during the flight and successfully completed a demonstration of terminal guidance accuracy.

Both flights were launched from a Boeing-operated F-15E aircraft over the sea range at the Naval Air Warfare Center Weapons Division, Point Mugu, Calif.

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Comments

The HyFly project may well by ahead of any hypersonic research being conducted by Russia or France or ahead of any Russian-Indian hypersonic "BrahMos-2" research. About BrahMos-2 see my post of August 31, 2008.

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My estimation is that proponents of hypersonic missiles see them (in mainly classified specs) as being used for extremely rapid reaction and short to intermediate range. An early US goal was 700 nautical miles (1,300kms). Further than that ballistic missiles may have the edge.

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Unlike ballistic missiles hypersonic could be guided by an operator right onto target or (unlike ballistic) exploded or disarmed midair if a decision is made not to hit the target. Alternatively (unlike ballistic but like subsonic) they could be redirected mid flight to different targets.

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All launch modes, fixed and static, land, sea and air are possible. Of this subs operating close to enemy coasts may be a particularly suitable scenerio.

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For Australia I think hypersonic cruise missiles fired from a future conventional "baby Virginia" sub may be what we'll have by 2030. Australia probably won't be realistic enough to go to nuclear powered subs with small ballistic missiles - but hopefully the upward firing cruise missile launch tubes could be reconfigured to ballistic (like the Indian ATV plans).

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So in that sense hypersonic may partly be seen as a compromise by "peaceful nations" short of (or before) going ballistic.

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Unlike ballistic (assumed nuclear if sent by a nuclear power) there is no such assumption that a hypersonic missile will be armed with a nuclear warhead.
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Just like subsonic cruise missile doctrine shifted from purely nuclear to mixed warhead uses hypersonic may be mixed - although the expectation might lean towards nuclear till experience proves otherwise.

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The technical difficulties of long distance hypersonic flight are still extreme. They centre on the missile overheating through friction in the dense lower atmosphere. Something for the aerodynamicists and metallurgists to nail by 2012 or so.

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Pete