Preface:
In modern warfare, speed, mobility and assault power are decisive key factors. With the pursuit of new technologies by various countries, hypersonic missiles have gradually become the focus of military technology. Hypersonic missiles, in simple terms, are missiles capable of flying at speeds of more than five times the speed of sound. Globally, only a few countries have mastered the technology, and China is the star of this.
### **China's Hypersonic Technology: Rise of the Dragon**
In recent years, China has not only successfully broken through the difficulties of hypersonic technology, but also developed a number of advanced models, demonstrating its determination and ability in this field. The Indian media outlet EurAsia Times praised China's breakthrough in this area, noting that "the dragon rises." It is undeniable that China's position in the global military race is constantly rising, especially when it comes to hypersonic technology.
### **Indian Media Coverage**
The Indian media report is noteworthy because it reflects the international community's perception of China's hypersonic technological advances. In the past 12 months alone, China has added at least two new hypersonic missiles, the DF-27 and YJ-21 air-launched variants, the EurAsia Times reported. Although details of the DF-27 have not been made public, U.S. military intelligence confirms its existence. Meanwhile, the YJ-21 was publicly displayed at the Zhuhai Air Show in November 2022, further demonstrating China's leading position in the field.
### **Global Comparison**
Globally, few countries can compete with China in the hypersonic field. Compared with superpowers such as the United States and Russia, China has made impressive progress in just a few years. This can be seen in the MD-22 aircraft developed in China. Such vehicles are often referred to as "near-space hypersonic test platforms" or "space fighters." This new technical concept is a huge breakthrough in traditional aerospace technology. As competition in space intensifies, so does the need for space-based intelligence surveillance architectures. This makes the space plane concept particularly important.
**China's mysterious and leading position in the field of hypersonics**
Hypersonic technology is a vital strategic area for any country that pursues military technological sophistication. China's research in this area is not as high-profile and public as in other fields, which not only protects the country's technical secrets, but also raises widespread speculation and concern about China's real progress in this field.
When we refer to the MD-22 aircraft, most people probably only know its basic data, such as the length, width, take-off weight, etc. of the entire aircraft. But the technical content behind it and the challenges involved are enormous. Breaking Mach 7 means that it can fly in close space, and this flight environment brings technical problems not only to speed, but also to the integration and innovation of aerodynamics, materials science, propulsion technology and other fields.
In addition, the MD-22 has a range of more than 8,000 kilometers, which means that it can be used not only to combat strategic targets, but also to play a key role in strategic deployment and rapid response.
**Future Competitive Outlook for Hypersonic**
China's hypersonic technology research is not only ahead in quantity, but more importantly, it has also achieved remarkable results in quality and application. This lead is not something that can be caught up by other countries in a short period of time. Moreover, with the accumulation and application of technology, this lead may be further expanded.
Compared with the United States and Russia, China's superiority in the field of hypersonics is more obvious. Although the United States has deep accumulation in military technology, the research progress in the field of hypersonic is not satisfactory. Many of the projects they propose are not perfect, many projects only stay on paper, and the distance between practical application and actual combat is still very far.
Although Russia's "Dagger" hypersonic missile has been put into practice, its technical level and performance need to be improved. The problems exposed by the actual combat application also let us see the difficulty and complexity of hypersonic technology.
### **The Hypersonic Dilemma in the United States**
Hypersonic technology, known as the "gold" of military technology in the 21st century, is the focus of modern military competition. But surprisingly, the United States, a global military technology giant, has been unusually slow to make progress in this area. Although the United States was once a leader in hypersonic technology research, after several failed attempts, its research and development in this area gradually slowed down, and finally stopped completely in 2011.
This disruption is not unreasonable, and it involves U.S. strategic adjustments, research and development dilemmas, and technical challenges. The original U.S. R&D program was ambitious: it wanted to create a superior weapon that could be used by all three services. But behind this grand plan lies complex technical problems and strategic contradictions.
### **U.S. Military Supply Chain Issues**
Despite the United States' reluctance to admit its mistakes, supply chain problems and inconsistencies in demand do seriously hamper its hypersonic weapons development. In addition, the attitude of the Ministry of Defense in the deployment of hypersonic systems has been wavering, lacking a clear and stable direction. This strategic instability makes supply chains more chaotic and unable to provide continuous, stable support for hypersonic projects.
To cover up its failures, the U.S. sometimes blames supply chain problems. As reported by Aviation Week, the unit cost of the U.S. Army's long-range hypersonic weapons and the Navy's conventional fast-strike missiles is expected to soar to nearly $60 million due to soaring production costs. This also means that even a superpower like the United States has encountered unprecedented difficulties in developing hypersonic technology.
### **China's Hypersonic Breakthrough**
In contrast, China has made remarkable progress in the field of hypersonics. The Dongfeng series and the Eagle Strike series have become representatives of China's hypersonic weapons, demonstrating China's firm determination and excellent research and development capabilities in this field. This leadership is not only based on the advantages of technology, but more importantly, China has never given up its research and development work, and has always maintained the pursuit and innovation of technology.
### **U.S. Strategic Misunderstandings**
Although the United States has allocated up to $11 billion for hypersonic and long-range subsonic missile programs, its development direction seems too fragmented and ambitious. In the absence of a fundamental technological breakthrough, the United States has begun to seek higher goals, such as hypersonic drones and engines of completely new principles. This attitude of overly short-term success may be the main reason for its successive failures in research and development.
conclusion
In the strategic high ground of hypersonic technology, competition between China and the United States will continue to intensify. The United States needs to learn from past failures and revisit its R&D strategy and goals. China, on the other hand, should continue to maintain the momentum of technological innovation and further consolidate its leading position in hypersonic technology.