The U.S. currently has no reliable defense against maneuverable hypersonic weapons due to their extreme speed (Mach 5+) and unpredictable flight paths, leading to statements from U.S. officials that their primary defense is nuclear deterrence, but the Missile Defense Agency (MDA) is developing new systems, like space-based sensors and glide-phase interceptors, to track and counter them, with initial capabilities expected by the late 2020s.
“The United States successfully shot down a hypersonic missile in a recent test, showcasing its missile defense capabilities. On 24 March, the Missile Defense Agency (MDA) and the U.S. Navy conducted the 'Stellar Banshee' test off Hawaii's coast.
High-power lasers can be used to disable a hypersonic weapon through a direct hit, by heating and disrupting the high-speed airflows (boundary layers) around the vehicle, as well as by blinding (or 'dazzling') sensors used to navigate towards its target.
The U.S. Just Shot Down a Hypersonic Missile in a Show of Force. The U.S. Armed Forces are continuing to develop technologies for countering adversaries' hypersonic missiles.
According to recent reports, China's DF-27 hypersonic missile can fly as far as Hawaii, penetrate US missile defenses, and specifically target US aircraft carriers ¹. These missiles can operate at speeds of up to 3,500 mph, making them extremely difficult to defend against.
China has the world's most powerful arsenal of hypersonics. In late 2024, China unveiled its latest hypersonic glide vehicle, the GDF-600. With a 1,200kg payload, it can carry sub-munitions and reach speeds of Mach 7 (5,370mph).
The United States Air Force has stated that Australian testing facilities will be used for testing of HACM. In Australian service, the projectile will become the fastest missile Australia has ever operated, and the first hypersonic missile in oceanai region.
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According to CNN, the Patriot system's ability to stop an air-launched hypersonic missile was considered to be only theoretical before the claimed interception. On 9 May 2023, Patrick S. Ryder, a Pentagon spokesman, confirmed that Ukraine downed the hypersonic missile.
One is to score a direct hit on a hypersonic weapon. The hit might not destroy the missile completely, but a high-power laser strike could disrupt the high-speed airflows—the boundary layer around the missile—which would disable or take it off course.
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Hypersonic glide weapons' speed and maneuverability also make it difficult for traditional ballistic interceptors to match their moves or keep up with them, added Tyler.
Lasers can be used as weapons to damage or destroy targets by heating them up or causing explosions. Some countries are developing laser weapons that can shoot down missiles or drones. For example, the U.S. Navy has deployed a laser weapon system on some of its ships that can destroy small boats and aircraft.
This is apparently a reference to capabilities that Russian missiles have but U.S. missiles do not—supersonic and hypersonic speed, very long range, dual capability, and, in many cases, antiship capability (until recently when the United States began to introduce longer-range antiship missiles).
The S-500 is designed for intercepting and destroying ballistic missiles, as well as hypersonic cruise missiles and aircraft.
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Most U.S. hypersonic weapons, in contrast to those in Russia and China, are not being designed for use with a nuclear warhead. As a result, U.S. hypersonic weapons will likely require greater accuracy and will be more technically challenging to develop than nuclear-armed Chinese and Russian systems.
Chinese Commercial Hypersonic Jet Achieves 5,000 mph in Test Flight. In a groundbreaking development for aviation, Chinese scientists successfully tested a hypersonic rocket jet capable of reaching speeds over 5,000 mph (Mach 6.56).
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