Hypersonic Weapons – Selected Political and Strategic Issues
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.12797/Politeja.19.2022.79.03Keywords:
international security, strategic stability, Russia, China, United States, hypersonic weapons, ballistic missilesAbstract
This article aims to shed some light on the impact of the emergence of hypersonic weapons on strategic and political realities. Firstly, it briefly describes the underlying laws of physics and technologies related to hypersonics. Secondly, it investigates the strategic and political consequences of developing the new weapons systems. The general assumption is that already fielded hypersonic weapons systems, and those that will enter service in the foreseeable future will not significantly change the global strategic balance. It is because, to a great extent, disadvantages offset the advantages the technology may provide. On the other hand, the political significance of developing hypersonic military technology is much higher, as it is a source of prestige, particularly important from the Chinese and Russian points of view.
Downloads
PlumX Metrics of this article
References
“AGM-183A ARRW”, post #36 on Secret Projects Forum, 20 June 2019, at https://www.secretprojects.co.uk/threads/agm-183a-arrw.30639/#post-353661.
Google Scholar
“AS-15 Kent (Kh-55 Granat)”, Missile Defense Advocacy Alliance, June 2017, at https://missiledefenseadvocacy.org/missile-threat-and-proliferation/todays-missile-threat/russia/as-15-kent-kh-55-granat/.
Google Scholar
Bugos S., Reif K., “Understanding Hypersonic Weapons: Managing the Allure and the Risks”, Arms Control Association Report, September 2021, at https://www.armscontrol.org/reports/2021/understanding-hypersonic-weapons.
Google Scholar
Bowe B., Hunter C., “Chinese Fractional Orbital Bombardment”, Policy Brief, no. 78, Asia-Pacific Leadership Network, 1 November 2021, at https://www.apln.network/analysis/policy-briefs/chinese-fractional-orbital-bombardment.
Google Scholar
Bureau of Arms Control, Verification and Compliance, “New START Treaty Aggregate Numbers of Strategic Offensive Arms”, U.S. Department of State, 1 September 2021, at https://www.state.gov/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/09-28-2021-September-NSTFACTSHEET-draft-Copy.pdf.
Google Scholar
Butowski P., “Russia Creates Its First Hypersonic Strike Regiment”, Aviation Week Network, 20 January 2022, at https://aviationweek.com/defense-space/aircraft-propulsion/russia-creates-its-first-hypersonic-strike-regiment.
Google Scholar
Christensen H.M., Korda M., “Nuclear Notebook: Chinese Nuclear Forces, 2021”, Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists, 15 November 2021, at https://thebulletin.org/premium/2021-11/nuclear-notebook-chinese-nuclear-forces-2021/.
Google Scholar
Czajkowski M., “Hypersonic Missiles – a Political Multipurpose Weapon”, Analiza Zakładu Bezpieczeństwa Narodowego UJ 2019, no. 4(43) (2019), at https://zbn.inp.uj.edu.pl/documents/92718966/141790394/Czajkowski+-+Analiza1/1cfa6113-361a-4ef8-b3d9-53bc659c6cd1.
Google Scholar
Czajkowski M., “Hypersonic Hype Revisited”, Analiza KBN, no. 14(94) (2021), at https://zbn.inp.uj.edu.pl/documents/92718966/141790394/Analiza94-Czajkowski-1/5f19cf91-7193-49c8-a11f-0fdde811be66.
Google Scholar
Czajkowski M., “Ballistic Missile Defence – Technology, Effectiveness and Organization – Key Issues”, Politeja, vol. 14, no. 5(50) (2017), pp. 227-262, https://doi.org/10.12797/Politeja.14.2017.50.11.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.12797/Politeja.14.2017.50.11
Google Scholar
“DF-17”, The Missile Threat, 2 August 2021, at https://missilethreat.csis.org/missile/df-17/.
Google Scholar
“DRDO Successfully Flight Tests Hypersonic Technology Demonstrator Vehicle”, Press Information Bureau Government of India Ministry of Defence, 7 September, 2020, at https://pib.gov.in/Pressreleaseshare.aspx?PRID=1651956.
Google Scholar
Episkopos M., “Russia’s Hypersonic Tsirkon Missile: Just How Dangerous Is It?”, The National Interest, 20 July 2021, at https://nationalinterest.org/blog/buzz/russia%E2%80%99s%C2%A0hypersonic%C2%A0tsirkon%C2%A0missile-just-how-dangerous-it-190004.
Google Scholar
Episkopos M., “Why the Air Force Is Struggling to Make a Hypersonic Missiles Work”, The National Interest, 4 August 2021, at https://nationalinterest.org/blog/buzz/why-air-force-struggling-make-hypersonic-missiles-work-191224.
Google Scholar
Everstine B., “Kendall: USAF Needs to Reassess Role of Hypersonics”, Aviation Week Network, 21 September 2021, at https://aviationweek.com/shows-events/afa-air-space-cyber-conference/kendall-usaf-needs-reassess-role-hypersonics?utm_rid=CPEN1000001539178&utm_campaign=30040&utm_medium=email&elq2=29baaeceacee4b6a8b7ceb2d658a24a5.
Google Scholar
Everstine B., “Space Force Official Says U.S. Behind China, Russia in Hypersonics”, Aviation Week Network, 22 November 2021, at https://aviationweek.com/defense-space/missile-defense-weapons/space-force-official-says-us-behind-china-russia-hypersonics.
Google Scholar
Greg A., “Military-Industrial Complex Finds a Growth Market in Hypersonic Weaponry”, The Washington Post, 21 December 2018, at https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/2018/12/21/military-industrial-complex-finds-growth-market-hypersonic-weaponry/.
Google Scholar
Hadley G., “ARRW Flies at Hypersonic Speeds in First Successful Test”, Air & Space Forces Magazine, 16 May 2022, at https://www.airforcemag.com/arrw-flies-at-hypersonic-speedsin-first-successful-test/.
Google Scholar
Hypersonic Weapons: Background and Issues for Congress, Congressional Research Service, 19 October 2021, at https://sgp.fas.org/crs/weapons/R45811.pdf.
Google Scholar
Insinna V., “After Latest Flight Test Failure, US Air Force Hopes to Keep First Hypersonic Missile on Track for Production”, Defence News, 4 August 2021, at https://www.defensenews.
Google Scholar
com/air/2021/08/04/after-latest-flight-test-failure-us-air-force-hoping-to-keep-firsthypersonic-missile-on-track-for-production/.
Google Scholar
Karako T., Dahlgren M., “Complex Air Defense: Countering the Hypersonic Missile Threat”, Center for Strategic & International Studies, 7 February 2022, at https://www.csis.org/analysis/complex-air-defense-countering-hypersonic-missile-threat.
Google Scholar
Kaushal S., “Putting the Russian Hypersonic Threat in Perspective”, RUSI Commentary, 28 September 2021, at https://www.rusi.org/explore-our-research/publications/commentary/putting-russian-hypersonic-threat-perspective.
Google Scholar
“Kh-47M2 Kinzhal”, Military-Today.com, at http://www.military-today.com/missiles/kh_47m2_kinzhal.htm.
Google Scholar
Kulacki G., China’s Nuclear Force: Modernizing from Behind, Union of Concerned Scientists,
Google Scholar
January 2018, at https://www.ucsusa.org/sites/default/files/attach/2018/01/modernizingfrom-behind.pdf.
Google Scholar
Kunertova D., “Weaponized and Overhyped: Hypersonic Technology”, CSS Analyses in Security Policy, no. 285, June 2021, at https://css.ethz.ch/content/dam/ethz/special-interest/gess/cis/center-for-securities-studies/pdfs/CSSAnalyse285-EN.pdf.
Google Scholar
Luzin P., “Russia’s Race for Hypersonic Weapons”, Eurasia Daily Monitor, vol. 18, no. 170 (2021), at https://jamestown.org/program/russias-race-for-hypersonic-weapons/.
Google Scholar
Mahshie A., “Hypersonics Defense”, Air & Space Forces Magazine, 19 January 2022, at https://www.airforcemag.com/article/hypersonics-defense/.
Google Scholar
Ministry of Defence of the Russian Federation, “Kompleks «Avangard» s giperzvukovym planiruyushchim krylatym blokom” [Минобороны России, “Комплекс «Авангард» с гиперзвуковым планирующим крылатым блоком”], YouTube, 1 March 2018, at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o-5UEq32-wc.
Google Scholar
Panda A., “Introducing the DF-17: China’s Newly Tested Ballistic Missile Armed With a Hypersonic Glide Vehicle”, The Diplomat, 28 December 2017, at https://thediplomat.
Google Scholar
com/2017/12/introducing-the-df-17-chinas-newly-tested-ballistic-missile-armed-with-ahypersonic-glide-vehicle/.
Google Scholar
Podvig P., “Deployment of Avangard Continues in Dombarovskiy”, Russian Strategic Nuclear Forces, 16 December 2020, at https://russianforces.org/blog/2020/12/deployment_of_avangard_continu.shtml.
Google Scholar
Second Successful Flight for DARPA Hypersonic Air-Breathing Weapon Concept (HAWC), Defence Advanced Research Projects Agency, 5 April 2022, at https://www.darpa.mil/news-events/2022-04-05.
Google Scholar
Shim E., “Japan to Develop Hypersonic Missile for »Defense Purposes«”, United Press International, 19 September 2018, at https://www.upi.com/Top_News/World-News/2018/09/19/Japan-to-develop-hypersonic-missile-for-defense-purposes/9911537361251/.
Google Scholar
Smith R.J., “Hypersonic Missiles Are Unstoppable. And They’re Starting a New Global Arms Race”, The New York Times Magazine, 19 June 2019, at https://www.nytimes.com/2019/06/19/magazine/hypersonic-missiles.html.
Google Scholar
Stashwick S., “China Tests New ‘Waverider’ Hypersonic Vehicle”, The Diplomat, 9 August 2018, at https://thediplomat.com/2018/08/china-tests-new-waverider-hypersonic-vehicle/.
Google Scholar
Strout N., “New Hypersonic Missile-Tracking Satellites Pass Critical Design Review”, Defense News, 21 December 2021, at https://www.defensenews.com/battlefield-tech/space/2021/12/21/new-hypersonic-missile-tracking-satellites-pass-critical-design-review/.
Google Scholar
Tirpak J.A., “The Great Hypersonic Race”, Air & Space Forces Magazine, 27 June 2018, at https://www.airforcemag.com/article/The-Great-Hypersonic-Race/.
Google Scholar
Tracy C.L., Wright D., “Modeling the Performance of Hypersonic Boost-Glide Missiles”. Science & Global Security, vol. 28, no. 3 (2020), pp. 135-170, https://doi.org/10.1080/08929882.2020.1864945.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/08929882.2020.1864945
Google Scholar
Trimble S., “U.S. Hypersonic Programs Look to Recover Momentum in 2022”, Aviation Week Network, 16 December 2021, at https://aviationweek.com/defense-space/missile-defense-weapons/us-hypersonic-programs-look-recover-momentum-2022.
Google Scholar
Trimble S., Warwick G., “DARPA Reveals Key Piece of Future Hypersonic Interceptor”, Aviation Week Network, 17 August 2021, at https://aviationweek.com/defense-space/missile-defense-weapons/darpa-reveals-key-piece-future-hypersonic-interceptor.
Google Scholar
Downloads
Published
How to Cite
Issue
Section
License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.