Britain tests hypersonic missile engine in ‘milestone' for UK defence
Britain has successfully tested of a new engine for hypersonic missiles in a crucial step forward for the UK's defence capabilities in light of Vladimir Putin's war in Ukraine.
The critical research could see weapons propelled at several thousand miles an hour, a development described by defence minister John Healey as a 'milestone moment' for the UK.
Research supported by the US Air Force and Nasa has produced an engine which demonstrated the capacity for high-speed air-breathing, meaning it can use oxygen in the air to propel itself rather than onboard oxygen storage.
This allows a greater range on the missile than a conventional rocket alongside the increased speed.
The testing was carried out as part of the Ministry of Defence 's UK's Hypersonic Weapons Programme, which hopes to support delivery of a hypersonic weapon technology demonstrator by 2030.
A total of 233 static tests were carried out over six weeks at Nasa 's Langley Research Centre in Virginia, USA, by a team of researchers led by the Defence Science and Technology Laboratory (Dstl) and the US Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL).
Multiple designs were tested across varying speeds from supersonic to hypersonic speeds, to ensure the robustness of the design, the ministry said.
Mr Healey said: 'We are living in a more dangerous world and it has never been more important for us to innovate and stay ahead of our adversaries, equipping our forces with the technologies of the future.
'This milestone moment on hypersonics research, supported by British scientists and British small businesses, demonstrates another crucial area where we are working in lockstep with the United States to bolster our Armed Forces and strengthen our deterrence.'
Paul Hollinshead, chief executive of Dstl, hailed the 'milestone' achievement.
He said it marks a 'critical advancement in the UK's defence capabilities' which 'reinforces our standing in the AUKUS hypersonic weapon development collaboration' - referring to the trilateral security arrangement between Australia, the UK and the US.
'The success of these tests highlights the UK's commitment to technological leadership and innovation in this crucial area,' Mr Hollinshead added.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
ITV News
17 minutes ago
- ITV News
British photographer hit by non-lethal bullets during LA protests
A British news photographer has undergone emergency surgery after being hit by non-lethal rounds during protests in Los Angeles. Nick Stern was documenting a stand-off between anti-Immigration and Customs Enforcement (Ice) protesters and police outside a Home Depot in Paramount, a city in LA county and a location known as a hiring spot for day labourers, when a 14mm 'sponge bullet' tore into his thigh. He told the PA news agency: 'My initial concern was, were they firing live rounds? 'Some of the protesters came and helped me, and they ended up carrying me, and I noticed that there was blood pouring down my leg.' He was treated by a medic who urged him to go to hospital. At one point, Mr Stern says he passed out from the pain. He is now recovering at Long Beach Memorial Medical Centre following emergency surgery. Mr Stern, who emigrated to the US in 2007, said he typically makes himself 'as visible as possible' while working in hostile situations. 'That way you're less likely to get hit because they know you're media,' he said. It is the second incident of its kind for Mr Stern, who said he sustained 'substantial' bruising after being hit by another live round during the George Floyd protests in 2020. 'The communities in LA are very tight and very close-knit,' Mr Stern said. 'So an outside organisation like Ice coming in and removing – whatever you want to call it, removing, kidnapping, abducting people from the community – is not going to go down well at all.' It comes after US President Donald Trump announced plans to deploy 2,000 National Guard troops to California to quell the protests, which began on Friday in downtown LA before spreading. White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said the move was 'essential to halting and reversing the invasion of illegal criminals into the United States'. The decision drew sharp criticism from Democratic politicians, including California Governor Gavin Newsom, who called the move 'purposefully inflammatory'. Demonstrators have been protesting the Trump administration's immigration raids, which last month aimed to detain as many as 3,000 people per day. Despite his injury, Mr Stern says he is eager to return to work. 'I intend, as soon as I am well enough, to get back out there,' he said. 'This is too important and it needs documenting.'
Telegraph
29 minutes ago
- Telegraph
Russia hired African farmers to make shampoo, then sent them to war
The advert for a job in a Russian shampoo factory looked like just what Jean Onana needed. Out of work in the Cameroonian capital of Yaounde and struggling to support a wife and three young children, he leapt at the chance to earn a solid pay packet, he later told Ukrainian interrogators. The 36-year-old saved up for his ticket and flew to Moscow in March, joining many young Africans who end up in Russia to study or seek work. However, far from offering the answer to his financial predicament, his trip instead pitched him into the crucible of Ukraine's eastern front, an ordeal he only narrowly survived. Mr Onana had barely arrived when he was detained along with 10 others from Bangladesh, Cameroon, Zimbabwe and Ghana. The men were told they would not be working and instead would sign a one-year contract to join the Russian military and serve on the front lines of Vladimir Putin's invasion of Ukraine. Mr Onana is only one of what are estimated to be hundreds, or even thousands, of Africans who have found themselves fighting on the front lines. Many more have been recruited into factories to keep the Kremlin's war machine running. Africans and others from developing countries elsewhere are being pressed into service as Russia looks for huge numbers of recruits to sustain horrific casualty rates in its grinding three-year offensive. Nearly one million Russian troops have been killed or wounded since the assault began, the Centre for Strategic and International Studies, a US-based think tank, said last week. While the great majority of recruits are still poor Russians, the relentless need for new manpower has led the Kremlin to recruit elsewhere, as well as import 10,000 soldiers from North Korea. Africans have been lured by the promise of money or have been duped or forced into signing contracts, according to accounts and intelligence reports seen by The Telegraph. Suicidal infantry tactics Cameroon's government is so worried about the numbers of soldiers thought to be deserting its army and travelling to Russia that in March it tightened restrictions on military personnel leaving the West African nation. Many African recruits have not returned, becoming victims of suicidal infantry tactics which are currently seeing Russian forces take an average of more than 1,100 casualties each day for only small territorial gains. One tally of Cameroonian social media obituaries suggests the country has already seen more than 60 men killed in the war. Promised a hefty wage and pressured to sign, Mr Onana was then given five weeks training in Rostov and Luhansk. There were around 10 other foreigners in his training unit, from Bangladesh, Zimbabwe and Brazil. During training he was able to call home, but on his way to the front his phone and documents were taken away. His military career ended almost as soon as it began when he and eight others were told to occupy a bunker at the front in early May. The bunker was shelled and everyone killed except Mr Onana, who lay wounded in the debris for six days. He eventually made his way out and was soon captured. Another recently captured African, 25-year-old Malik Diop from Senegal, this week told a Ukrainian military interview that he had been studying in Russia when he met recruiters in a shopping centre. They told him he could sign up to wash dishes in Luhansk, away from the front, for $5,700 (£4,215) a month. After only a week however, he was given a weapon, grenades and a helmet then driven to the front near Toretsk. Recalling the walk to the front line, he said: 'We started to see dead people in the forest. Lots of dead people in different buildings. It really affected me.' As soon as he could, he threw away his uniform and weapons, and deserted. After two days of walking he was captured. Many are not so fortunate. Cameroonian social media channels have in recent months seen many posts purporting to be from people seeking information about relatives who had joined the Russian military and then stopped communicating. The messages are often accompanied by photographs of African men in Russian uniform. 'My friend went to Russia to join the Russian army, and for nearly four months we haven't heard from him,' explained one typical recent request. 'We'd like to know if he's still alive or dead.' Some posts are then updated to explain the missing relative has been killed. One prominent account collating tributes to soldiers this week estimated 67 Cameroonians had been killed. Messages also gave accounts of relatives being detained at the airport and forced to sign military contracts. The gap between Cameroon's meagre military wages and the promise of hefty Russian pay is thought to have worsened a long-standing problem with desertion in the Cameroonian military. A second-class Cameroonian private's basic monthly salary is around £67, while Russia is said to be offering Cameroonian recruits around £1,500 per month. In one recent social media post, a Cameroonian soldier held up his pay slip and said 'here's why we prefer to go die in Russia'. Raoul Sumo Tayo, who has researched the issue for the Institute of Security Studies, a Pretoria-based think tank, said: 'They say it's better for us to go to fight where we earn enough money to save something for our families. 'I don't think it's about supporting Russia, it's more about what they earn.' Africans recruited by Russia are not only fighting on the front. Last month, a report by the Global Initiative Against Transnational Organised Crime said a Russian firm was recruiting hundreds of young foreign women, mostly from Africa, to manufacture Iranian Shahed drones. The women had been recruited to the company in the Alabuga special economic zone, an industrial park in Yelabuga, east of Moscow, with promises of good salaries and educational opportunities. They were not told the nature of the work, the report said, nor that the factory had been a military target. Several African workers at the factory are reported to have been wounded in an attack by Ukrainian drones in April 2024.
The Herald Scotland
an hour ago
- The Herald Scotland
Scotland Office leads trade mission in Spain
A total of 16 Scottish female entrepreneurs, led by UK Government Minister Kirsty McNeill and the Scottish Chambers of Commerce (SCC), will arrive in Madrid today. Their mission comes after a report, first covered by The Herald, found that trade in Scotland could increase by more than £10 billion over two years if women-led businesses exported at the same rate as those led by men. The Gender Export Gap Report, commissioned by the Scottish Government, found that if women who lead small and medium-sized enterprises exported at the same rate as male-led exporters, it could increase total turnover by between £2.1bn and £6.3bn over one year, with this potentially increasing to over £10bn over a two year period. Scotland Minister Ms McNeill has voiced she wants the UK to be 'a leader' in promoting gender diversity in international trade. Those involved, including the chief executive of Scottish Chamber of Commerce Liz Cameron, will meet with Spanish entrepreneurs, business leaders and politicians to address the Scottish gender export gap and promote Brand Scotland. Taking place through events in Barcelona and Madrid, ministers said the mission will help Scottish firms 'boost exports, inward investment and kickstart economic growth'. During her trip to Spain, Ms McNeill will also discuss future plans for two shipyards in Scotland with the CEO of Navantia UK, a Spanish ship building company which recently took over the British shipbuilder Harland & Wolff. It currently runs operations across four UK sites including Methil and Arnish in Scotland. READ MORE: 'Scottish trade could create billions through women-led businesses' What Keir Starmer's new UK–EU agreement means for Scotland Figures from last year show Spain is the UK's seventh largest trading partner and it is Scotland's 10th with total trade in goods and services (exports plus imports) being £64.6 billion. The UK is the number one European destination for Spanish investment (€83 billion stock). On Tuesday in Barcelona, the Minister will also meet the President of Catalonia, Salvador Illa to discuss new opportunities for trade and investment for both the UK and Spain. This visit marks the first Brand Scotland trade mission since the signing of a partnership agreement between the Scottish Chambers of Commerce and the Scotland Office on Friday. The deal, backed by a £100,000 UK Government grant, is focused on showcasing Scottish businesses globally and attracting inward investment. UK Government Scotland Office Ms McNeill said: "I'm very proud to be teaming up with the Scottish Chambers of Commerce and fantastic Scottish women entrepreneurs on a trailblazing mission to Spain to help kickstart economic growth, create jobs and attract investment to Scotland as part of the UK Government's Plan for Change. "I want the UK to be a leader in promoting gender diversity in international trade and this is a unique opportunity for our women business leaders to build international connections, explore market opportunities, and connect with other female entrepreneurs in one of Scotland's and the UK's largest EU markets. "Through Brand Scotland, we are now giving our country the global platform it deserves." Last year, Scotland's goods exports to Spain reached £0.7 billion, with food and drink leading the way at over £212 million. Most recent figures show that Spain was the number six export destination for Scotch whisky, with sales worth £196 million in 2024. Spain is also among the most valuable destinations for Scottish seafood exports, including a top 20 destination for Scottish salmon exports. Chief Executive of the Scottish Chambers of Commerce Dr Liz Cameron CBE said: "This trade mission marks a bold step forward in advancing Scotland's global trade ambitions. "By connecting some of our most dynamic women entrepreneurs and leaders with key players in Barcelona, we are opening new doors of opportunity, innovation, and growth. "Scotland's businesswomen are global in their outlook, ambitious in their vision, and ready to lead the way in forging deeper connections around the world. 'The collaboration between the Scottish Chambers of Commerce and Scotland Office is a powerful partnership which will boost business growth, increase exports, and champion Scotland as a world-leading trading nation. "This mission expands our market access and ensures the future of our business community is more representative, resilient, and internationally competitive." The mission follows the Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer securing an agreement with the European Union last month which aimed at resetting relations after post-Brexit disruption. The deal includes an extension of EU fishing rights in UK waters until 2038. This 12-year continuation maintains current access arrangements, which were initially set to expire in 2026. The UK Government argues that the move provides stability and certainty for the fishing sector. However, Scottish fishing communities and the Scottish Government have voiced strong opposition. The agreement also includes a Sanitary and Phytosanitary (SPS) Agreement, which aligns UK food safety and animal health standards with those of the EU. This alignment is expected to eliminate most routine border checks on animal and plant products between Great Britain and the EU. It will also permit the export of some previously restricted products, including burgers and sausages, back into the EU market. For Scotland, this is significant, facilitating smoother exports for key sectors such as seafood and agriculture. However, it also means that the UK, including Scotland, must adhere to evolving EU regulations in these areas.
