STRATCOM: US Sensor Architecture Not Sufficient to Detect Hypersonic Missiles

WASHINGTON (Sputnik) – US military's sensor architecture is not sufficient to effectively detect hypersonic missiles across the world while Russia today is the leading nation for this technology, US Strategic Command chief Adm. Charles Richard said on Thursday.

"It [hypersonic technology] creates challenges that permeate the responsibility of STRATCOM, SPACECOM, NORTHCOM, and every other combatant command,” Richard said at the 24th Annual Space and Missile Defence Symposium. “Because of these challenges, our current terrestrial and space-based sensor architecture may not be sufficient to detect and track these hypersonic missiles.”

Richard noted that Russia, being the world leader in hypersonic technology continues to heavily invest in the development of hypersonic glide vehicles.

Russia’s recent launch of its new hypersonic missile Zircon complicates deterrence efforts, the US Strategic Command chief also said.

On 19 July, Russia's Admiral of the Fleet of the Soviet Union Gorshkov frigate successfully fired a Zircon hypersonic missile at a ground target located at a distance of over 350 kilometers (217 miles). Following the launch, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov disagreed with Washington's claims that Russia's new developments in the hypersonic weapons sector could violate strategic stability parity.