5 Mach missiles (6.125 kilometers per hour) are classified as "hypersonic". They evade detection by the enemy's air defense system, greatly diminishing its ability to intercept the missile.
Hypersonic weapons are the future and could drastically shift the balance of military powers in the world.
Unlike the United States and China, which have focused on developing thrust aircraft such as the Hypersonic Glide Vehicle, Russia and India are planning so-called "hypersonic cruise missiles."
"While a Glide push aircraft must first reach an extreme altitude before re-entering the atmosphere, cruise missiles travel on an extremely low non-ballistic trajectory to evade early warning radar systems.
Moscow and Delhi have already developed the supersonic "BrahMos" (opening photo), the fastest cruise missile in the world, capable of Mach 3 speed, and would already be working on the hypersonic model BrahMos-II.
According to the Russians, the new fuel will be able to generate enough energy to allow the missiles to pass Mach 5.
A new diesel for the Russian Arctic military forces was also created, created for the very low temperatures with the maximum threshold of -65 degrees Celsius.
The latest projects developed by Russian scientists also include a new synthetic oil, aviation gasoline and carbon-based fuels.
Hypersonic weapons
The Russian armed forces will receive large-scale hypersonic missiles within the next 25 years, with the first prototypes within the 2020.
The main difficulty in developing missiles, which will fly faster than sound, is to design new materials capable of withstanding the very high temperatures caused by the hypersonic regime.
We are talking, in fact, about missiles with a top speed of six / eight (or even ten / twelve) Mach with RamJet technology.
By the 2030 the Russians are hoping to have developed the technology needed to build crewed aircraft at hypersonic speed.
In addition, hypersonic missiles will equip the new generation PAK DA bombers that will enter service by the 2023.
Russia has begun development of a new strategic bomber in the 2014.
The project, set aside for several years and known as PAK-DA (Russian acronym of "future long-range aircraft"), received the green light from the Russian leadership only a few months ago.
The Tupolev company will develop the PAK – DA. Russian engineers would be aiming at a subsonic aircraft in the shape of a "flying wing", which would guarantee superior "stealth ability".
The PAK-DA, according to the guidelines of the Ministry of Defense, will have to be equipped with advanced electronic warfare systems and armed with the new long-range nuclear cruise missiles, as well as a variety of high precision conventional weapons.
The new bomber will go into production by the 2023 and will most likely be built at a new aircraft assembly line in the Kazan plant.
The PAK-DA will have to replace the current Russian strategic fleet consisting of 63 Tupolev Tu-95MS Bear and 13 Tu-160 Blackjack.
Franco Iacch
(photo: BrahMos Aerospace / archive)
