UK Joins Global Hypersonic Arms Race with Home-Grown Missile Plans.

The British Ministry of Defence (MoD) announced plans to develop and deploy a domestically-produced hypersonic cruise missile by the end of the decade, according to a recent report published by The Telegraph on April 27, 2024. This ambitious initiative places the United Kingdom alongside leading military powers such as the United States, Russia, and China in the rapidly evolving hypersonic weapons race.
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Introducing the AQUILA project by MBDA: Advancing European air defense with a state-of-the-art counter-hypersonic interceptor, leveraging expertise from the ASTER program. (Picture source Army Recognition Group)

The hypersonic missile, which the UK MoD (Ministry of Defense) intends to be entirely designed and manufactured within the UK, is slated for completion and deployment by 2030. This development is part of a broader defense strategy under Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, highlighted by a substantial £75 billion increase in the defense budget over the next six years.

While still in the preliminary stages, the MoD has yet to finalize the missile's launch platform. Potential deployment options include land-based systems, naval warships, or aircraft such as the Typhoon or F-35, which could have different ranges and payload capacities.

The decision to pursue a home-grown hypersonic missile underscores the UK's commitment to advancing its military capabilities and maintaining strategic autonomy in the face of evolving global threats and technological advancements in other countries.

Recent developments in hypersonic missile technology among the major military powers—Russia, China, and the United States—highlight a growing emphasis on these advanced weapon systems, which are capable of traveling at speeds greater than five times the speed of sound (Mach 5) and can maneuver during flight, making them hard to detect and intercept.

Russia and China appear to be slightly ahead in deploying operational hypersonic systems. Russia has successfully tested and is advancing with its Zircon hypersonic cruise missiles, while China has developed the DF-ZF and other hypersonic missiles as part of its military strategy to deter potential threats near its coasts (AUSA). China’s hypersonic arsenal alos includes the DF-17, a medium-range ballistic missile with a hypersonic glide vehicle that has a range of 1,600 kilometers. Both nations view these capabilities as crucial to maintaining a strategic advantage.

The United States, meanwhile, is actively developing its own hypersonic technologies but has encountered challenges. The recent cancellation of the AGM-183A Air-launched Rapid Response Weapon (ARRW) program, due to test failures, indicates some difficulties in the U.S. hypersonic efforts. However, the U.S. is not relenting in its pursuit, with continued investment in research and new programs like the Hypersonic Attack Cruise Missile (HACM) and others aiming for deployment in the coming years.

Congress is also urging the U.S. Missile Defense Agency to expedite the development of hypersonic interceptors to counter these threats, with plans to field operational interceptors capable of engaging hypersonic weapons in their glide phase by the late 2020s.

MBDA, a leading European missile manufacturer, has been developing innovative countermeasures against hypersonic threats for over five years. Leveraging their extensive experience from the ASTER anti-missile interceptor and profound understanding of various threats, MBDA launched the AQUILA project. This initiative aims to provide European nations with advanced counter-hypersonic interceptor concepts, integrating them into a comprehensive air defense portfolio that includes other MBDA products.

In March 2023, MBDA and its partners were invited to submit proposals for a concept architecture and technology maturation study for an endo-atmospheric interceptor designed to counter sophisticated emerging threats.

The consortium, led by MBDA, has proposed the HYpersonic Defence Interceptor Study, abbreviated as HYDIS². This study involves 19 partners and more than 30 subcontractors from 14 European countries, focusing on collaborative defense solutions against hypersonic threats.

Hypersonic missiles are known for their impressive combat capabilities, primarily due to their speed and maneuverability. These missiles travel at speeds of Mach 5 or faster, which is at least five times the speed of sound. This high speed drastically reduces the time adversaries have to detect, react to, and intercept the missile, giving them little opportunity to defend against an attack. Additionally, hypersonic missiles are capable of maneuvering at high speeds, making them harder to track and predict compared to traditional ballistic missiles that follow a fixed trajectory. Their ability to fly lower in the atmosphere also helps them evade radar detection longer. This combination of speed, maneuverability, and stealth makes hypersonic missiles particularly effective for penetrating well-defended targets and could change the dynamics of modern warfare by challenging existing defense systems.

Defense News April 2024