Latest news with #PaulHollinshead
Russia Today
06-04-2025
- Politics
- Russia Today
UK touts hypersonic missile test
UK scientists have collaborated with the US and private firms to successfully test hypersonic missile propulsion, the British Defense Ministry said in a statement on Sunday. Hypersonic missiles are projectiles that can travel at speeds at least five times the speed of sound, velocities that make them either extremely difficult or impossible to intercept using modern air defenses. Russia has introduced and deployed its own missiles of this kind during the Ukraine conflict. Successful tests of the prototype cruise missile engine will aid in arming the UK with hypersonic weapons by 2030, the ministry said. A joint team led by the UK's Defense Science and Technology Laboratory (Dstl), collaborating with the US Air Force Research Laboratory and companies in the industry, have run 233 tests of the new high-speed air-breathing engine. Once completed, the propulsion system could see missiles traveling at several thousand miles per hour. READ MORE: France and UK rebrand possible military deployment to Ukraine '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,' UK Defense Secretary John Healey said in the statement. The test was part of the AUKUS military bloc's hypersonic weapons research program, according to Dstl CEO Paul Hollinshead. The bloc encompasses the US, the UK, and Australia. Last December, Washington touted a successful test of its domestic Long Range Hypersonic Weapon, developed by the Lockheed Martin Corporation. China, India, Iran, and North Korea have touted their own hypersonic weapons tests over the last several years. Tehran used its hypersonic Fattah-1 missile in its exchange of attacks with Israel last year, according to Iran. READ MORE: Russia surpasses Western Europe in defense output – UK report Moscow and Beijing have pulled ahead in the race to develop hypersonic weapons over the last decade. Russia put its first armament of the kind, the air-launched Kinzhal, into service in 2017, while China rolled out its DF-ZF hypersonic glide vehicle two years later. Russia has used Kinzhal and naval Zircon hypersonic missiles throughout the Ukraine conflict. Last November, Moscow carried out the first combat test of its Oreshnik intermediate-range ballistic missile, striking Ukraine's Yuzhmash military industrial facility in Dnepr.
Telegraph
06-04-2025
- Business
- Telegraph
Britain's hypersonic missile test hailed as ‘critical advance' for defence
Britain has completed a successful test of a new engine for hypersonic missiles in what marks a critical step for defence in Europe. The latest UK hypersonic research, which could see weapons travelling at several thousand miles per hour, has reached a landmark moment after it was established that the new engine would power a cutting-edge hypersonic cruise missile, covering greater ranges than a conventional rocket. The engine, which successfully demonstrated the performance of high-speed air-breathing – using air for combustion rather than a separate onboard oxygen device – is set to greatly advance the UK's hypersonic weapon capabilities. The Ministry of Defence said that the research, which took place in recent months, aims to support delivery of a hypersonic weapon technology demonstrator by 2030 through the department's Team Hypersonics (UK) programme. It said the engine will provide a 'transformational capability' that delivers operational advantage for the future UK armed forces. As part of a joint team led by the Defence Science and Technology Laboratory (Dstl) and the US Air Force Research Laboratory, 233 successful static test runs were conducted at the Nasa Langley Research Centre in Virginia, USA. The testing was part of the UK's Hypersonic Weapons Programme, which took place over six weeks involving real-time data analysis to refine design aspects and boost propulsive performance, with support from industry partners including UK SME Gas Dynamics Ltd. The Telegraph last year revealed that under the previous Conservative government, Britain planned to equip the Armed Forces with a home-grown hypersonic cruise missile by the end of the decade. To fight adversaries, a missile that could reach speeds exceeding Mach 5 was desired to catch up with China, Russia and the US. John Healey, the Defence Secretary, 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.' Dstl's chief executive, Paul Hollinshead, described the milestone as a 'critical advancement' in the UK's defence, which 'reinforces our standing in the Aukus hypersonic weapon development collaboration'. 'The success of these tests highlights the UK's commitment to technological leadership and innovation in this crucial area,' he added. At the end of last year, the UK, the US and Australia reached a deal to accelerate the delivery of 'battle-winning' hypersonic missiles. Under the second pillar of the Aukus submarine pact, it was agreed that the three nations will develop, build and test projectiles that travel five-times faster than the speed of sound. The countries are pooling expertise and resources to make sure weapons, launchers and defensive systems are delivered ahead of schedule.
