US Plans to Master Hypersonic Weapons in 3 Years to Catch Up to Russia and China

Earlier this year, the US Department of Defence announced that they had designated the Naval Surface Warfare Centre (NSWC) in Indiana as the primary base for developing hypersonic weapons, as reports emerged about the Pentagon planning to put more efforts into research and adoption of the technology.

The US plans to adopt hypersonic technologies in three years, according to the National Defence Authorisation Act (NDAA).

"Not later than December 30, 2020, the Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering, in consultation with the Chief of Staff of the Air Force, shall submit to the congressional defense committees an executable strategy and plan to field air-launched and air-breathing hypersonic weapons capability before the date that is three years after the date of the enactment of this Act", the current version of the bill says.

The NDAA will include "important provisions affecting our national security", including tools to "deter Russia and China", funding for military infrastructure, and reforms for the Pentagon.

HIFiRE 5b rocket launches successfully at the Woomera Test Range in South Australia on May 18, 2016.

© CPL Bill Solomou

President Donald Trump, however, said he will veto the legislation, as it does not include the termination of Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act (CDA), which protects tech giants from lawsuits. According to Trump and to many congressmen, the bill should be terminated or changed, because they say social media platforms abuse it, while applying aggressive moderation policies.

Earlier this year, the US military intensified efforts to develop hypersonic missiles that fly at speeds between five and 20 times the speed of sound, after these types of weapons were successfuly tested and demonstrated by China and Russia.