Army Hypersonic Weapon Test Success

We have talked on several occasions about the DARPA hypersonic test gliders that have been in testing for a while now. So far, DARPA has lost both of its test vehicles with no explanation as to what happened. It seems that the US Army has been more successful than DARPA has. Yesterday the Army conducted a test flight of its new hypersonic weapon that can travel up to five times the speed of sound.

The weapon was launch from the Pacific Missile Range Facility on Kauai. The vehicle is a glider like the DARPA device that is lofted into orbit and then glides to reach its target. According to the military, the weapon would be able to navigate and avoid flying over other nations on its approach to its target.

The Army calls the weapon the Advanced Hyper Sonic Weapon. The test was to collect data on the tech that boosts the vehicle and then allows it to glide. At speed, the AHW was able to cover 2,300 miles in less than half an hour.

[via CBS News]