Draft legislation would require Pentagon brass to validate a requirement for a potential conventional hypersonic strike triad -- setting the stage for a ground-, sea-, and air-launched ultra-fast boost-glide weapon -- along with cost estimates for accelerating initial operational capability of each notional leg of this fledgling new class of weapon.The chairman's mark of the House Armed Services Committee's version of the fiscal year 2019 defense authorization bill includes provisions that aim to tighten congressional oversight of the Conventional Prompt Strike program, the U.S. military's marquee effort to develop an intermediate-range hypersonic strike capability.The draft legislation, made public May 7, calls for the defense secretary to provide Congress by Nov. 30 "a validated requirement for ground-, sea-, or air-launched (or a combination thereof) conventional prompt global strike hypersonic capabilities."The Pentagon does not have a formal acquisition program of record for a hypersonic strike capability. The Defense Department is exploring potential boost-glide hypersonic technologies as part of a research and development effort overseen by the Office of the Secretary of Defense, a project that has spent nearly $1 billion to date, with plans to allocate nearly $2 billion over the next five years.In accordance with congressional guidance in the FY-16 National Defense Authorization Act, DOD plans a materiel development decision for a Conventional Prompt Strike capability in FY-20, the initial gateway to a formal acquisition effort. In preparation, the Pentagon earlier this year revealed plans to give the Navy responsibility to manage development of the Conventional Strike Program beginning in FY-19.At congressional direction in the FY-18 NDAA, Pentagon leaders are drafting a "plan to reach an early operational capability for the conventional prompt strike weapon system by not later than September 30, 2022." The report, due in June, is to be prepared by the Joint Chiefs of Staff chairman in consultation with the heads of U.S. European, Pacific and Strategic commands, and will outline "the required level of resources that is consistent with the level of priority associated to the capability gap."The high-level Pentagon panel responsible for endorsing the need for a new weapon system program -- the Joint Requirements Oversight Council -- has examined the issue of hypersonic strike at least twice in the last five years. In September 2016, the panel re-validated the requirement for Conventional Prompt Strike as part of a larger "family of systems," according to the Joint Staff.And in 2013, the JROC validated the Conventional Prompt Strike -- which previously aspired to have a "global" reach -- focus on demonstrating the feasibility of a hypersonic, boost-glide weapon for a potential intermediate-range strike system that could be deployed independent of service or service platform.In addition, the draft legislation unveiled by the House this week would direct the Pentagon's acquisition executive to deliver a report by Jan. 31, 2019 on a plan to "deliver a conventional prompt global strike weapon system" by the 2022 target date. That report, according to the draft legislation, is to include "options with cost estimates for accelerating the initial capability for such a system" and an outline of the policy issues required by Pentagon leaders in order to "employ hypersonic offense capabilities from each potential launch platform of such system."The proposed bill also seeks an explanation from DOD of the "assessed level of ambiguity and misinterpretation risk relating to the conventional prompt global strike weapon system," including any potential confusion by adversaries as to whether the hypersonic strike weapon could be carrying a nuclear warhead. In addition, the report is to outline potential risks related to Conventional Prompt Strike and "platform ambiguity" and "perceptions of the survivability of strategic nuclear forces."
Congress eyes conventional hypersonic triad, seeks details of marquee DOD hypersonic projectQuoteThe proposed bill also seeks an explanation from DOD of the "assessed level of ambiguity and misinterpretation risk relating to the conventional prompt global strike weapon system," including any potential confusion by adversaries as to whether the hypersonic strike weapon could be carrying a nuclear warhead. In addition, the report is to outline potential risks related to Conventional Prompt Strike and "platform ambiguity" and "perceptions of the survivability of strategic nuclear forces."
The proposed bill also seeks an explanation from DOD of the "assessed level of ambiguity and misinterpretation risk relating to the conventional prompt global strike weapon system," including any potential confusion by adversaries as to whether the hypersonic strike weapon could be carrying a nuclear warhead. In addition, the report is to outline potential risks related to Conventional Prompt Strike and "platform ambiguity" and "perceptions of the survivability of strategic nuclear forces."
The committee is aware of a National Hypersonics Initiative underdevelopment by the Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering, inconjunction with the military services, defense labs, and the Defense AdvancedResearch Projects Agency. The committee recognizes the growing amount ofresources and emphasis placed by the Department of Defense on the research anddevelopment of hypersonic vehicle technology. The committee supports thedevelopment of a National Hypersonics Initiative, and believes it is prudent and consistent with the roles and responsibilities granted to the Department’s Joint Hypersonics Transition Office as authorized in the National Defense AuthorizationAct of 2018 (Public Law 115-91).Therefore, the committee directs the Under Secretary of Defense forResearch and Engineering to provide a briefing to the House Committee on ArmedServices not later than September 15, 2018, on the status of the NationalHypersonics Initiative
The objective of the OpFires program is to develop and demonstrate a novel groundlaunchedsystem enabling advanced weapons to penetrate modern enemy air defensesand rapidly and precisely engage critical time sensitive targets. DARPA seeks to developan advanced booster capable of delivering a variety of payloads at a variety of ranges.OpFires will focus on the development of innovative propulsion to maximize theoperational range envelope of the system and adapt to a variety of potential payloads.The program plans to conduct a series of subsystem tests designed to evaluatecomponent design and system compatibility, and assess the value of innovativepropulsion system concepts. It is planned to culminate in an integrated end-to-end flighttest campaign following integration with a compatible mobile ground launch platform.The OpFires program includes two separate and successive tasks, the Propulsion Systemtask and the Weapon System Integration task. Each task will have a separate BAA. ThisProposers Day and associated BAA will encompass the Propulsion System task. ThePropulsion System task will focus on developing and demonstrating innovativepropulsion concepts for flexible-range boosters and will be conducted in two phases.Phase 1 will include propulsion system preliminary design and proof of concept testingto demonstrate key elements of the propulsion system design. Phase 2 is anticipated tomature designs to critical design level and conduct hot/static fires of at least tworepresentative test articles.A BAA for the Weapon System Integration task is planned for release in FY 2019.
First display of "Lingyun” hypersonic chinese missile. Interesting platform - soon to be developed into a near space weapon system?
https://twitter.com/inbarspace/status/998288620330070016?s=20QuoteFirst display of "Lingyun” hypersonic chinese missile. Interesting platform - soon to be developed into a near space weapon system?More here.“Lingyun 1,a hypersonic aircraft that can travel at more than five times the speed of sound, or 6,100 kilometer per hour, made its public debut at the museum on Saturday. It was developed by the College of Aerospace Science and Technology at the National University of Defense Technology.The craft has a Chinese-designed supersonic combustion ramjet engine, also known as scramjet, the exhibition panel relates. The missile-shaped Lingyun made its maiden flight in 2015, making it the second low-cost, multipurpose hypersonic vehicle known to the public - the other is the HIFiRE vehicle jointly developed by the United States and Australia."source: Zhang Zhihao, "Spotlight focused on science, tech frontiers", China Daily, May 21, 2018http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/a/201805/21/WS5b0216afa3103f6866ee982d.html
Thank you for the analysis. Are you particularly impressed by it from an engineering prospective?
it has an aerospike nose
The US Air Force skipped a more extensive competition for its nearly $1 billion hypersonic cruise missile development contract due to lack of available funds to pay multiple sources to develop alternative prototypes, according to a newly-released government document.
Even before Russian President Vladimir Putin’s saber rattling this year about high-speed weapons, the U.S. was laying plans to sharpen its focus on hypersonic weapons, motivated mainly by China’s ambitious research and weapons tests. The Trump Pentagon wants to put this new focus in place in the 2019 budget.Chinese researchers have been publishing technical papers at a blistering pace about their fundamental research into hypersonic flight, loosely defined as maneuvering in the atmosphere at speeds above 6,000 kph. Flying faster than Mach 5 could be a handy way to travel, but for the leaders in this field — China, Russia and the U.S. — the emphasis has shifted to weapons. At least some of China’s research appears to be headed in that direction, based on references to missiles in the published papers, although my inquiries to the Chinese Embassy’s press office about the purpose of this research went unreturned. The Pentagon reported to Congress earlier this year that China has conducted 20 times as many hypersonic flight tests as the U.S. The most noteworthy recent test was in November, when China flew a new hypersonic missile, the DF-17, capable of flying 1,800 to 2,500 kilometers, as first reported by The Diplomat website.
The US Air Force has set plans to begin the competitive phase of a plan to develop a dual mode ramjet for a new class of missiles and aircraft with top speeds over Mach 3.
”The overall objective is to identify, develop, mature, and demonstrate technologies that enable refurbishable high speed (M>3) capability for intelligence/surveillance/reconnaissance (ISR) and strike platforms by 2028, and for quick-turn fully reusable systems by 2035,” the AFRL stated in 2016.“It is envisioned that the earlier demonstration systems will be air-launched utilising rocket-boost to reach hypersonic cruise speeds, and later employing combined cycle engines that permit runway operations,” the AFRL says.
Join the Doolittle Institute, the Northwest Florida Chapter of the American Institute of Aerospace and Aeronautics (AIAA), and the Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) for our distinguished speaker series. For this speaking engagement, we’ll welcome Dr. Mark Lewis as he discusses Hypersonic Flight: Progress and Challenges on the Way to High Mach Systems.Dr. Lewis, a longtime advocate of hypersonics, is currently the director of the Science and Technology Policy Institute within the Institute for Defense Analyses, which is one of the nation’s Federally-Funded Research & Development Centers (FFRDC). He is a former Chief Scientist of the Air Force as well as past national president of AIAA. You can read Dr. Lewis’ full bio here.The lecture will begin at 10:00 a.m. in the Doolittle Institute’s Shangri-La Auditorium; a networking and meet-and-greet will follow. The event is free and open to the public.
Boeing Commercial Airplanes (BCA) has joined with hypersonic specialists at the company’s Research & Technology unit to study a Mach 5 passenger transport capable of crossing the Atlantic in 2 hr. or the Pacific in 3. The initial concept vehicle, unveiled at the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA) Aviation 2018 conference in Atlanta, is a preliminary step toward a long-range development plan targeted at both commercial and military applications. Although not ...
Boeing Unveils Hypersonic Airliner ConceptQuoteBoeing Commercial Airplanes (BCA) has joined with hypersonic specialists at the company’s Research & Technology unit to study a Mach 5 passenger transport capable of crossing the Atlantic in 2 hr. or the Pacific in 3. The initial concept vehicle, unveiled at the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA) Aviation 2018 conference in Atlanta, is a preliminary step toward a long-range development plan targeted at both commercial and military applications. Although not ...http://m.aviationweek.com/commercial-aviation/boeing-unveils-hypersonic-airliner-concept
Quote from: Star One on 06/26/2018 12:56 pmBoeing Unveils Hypersonic Airliner ConceptQuoteBoeing Commercial Airplanes (BCA) has joined with hypersonic specialists at the company’s Research & Technology unit to study a Mach 5 passenger transport capable of crossing the Atlantic in 2 hr. or the Pacific in 3. The initial concept vehicle, unveiled at the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA) Aviation 2018 conference in Atlanta, is a preliminary step toward a long-range development plan targeted at both commercial and military applications. Although not ...http://m.aviationweek.com/commercial-aviation/boeing-unveils-hypersonic-airliner-conceptThis concept is garbage. Windows? when Mach 5 stagnation temperatures are >1000°C?Also given L/D of only 4-5 for hypersonic planes your range is terrible - likely less than 5000km unless you use Liquid Hydrogen, in which case you have to make the craft huge for the necessary volume of tankage. And of course given the huge engine power the sonic boom is going to be staggering.Reaction Engines Lapcat is a reasonable approach, this is nothing but a BS advertisement by Boeing.
Quote from: RobLynn on 06/26/2018 10:00 pmQuote from: Star One on 06/26/2018 12:56 pmBoeing Unveils Hypersonic Airliner ConceptQuoteBoeing Commercial Airplanes (BCA) has joined with hypersonic specialists at the company’s Research & Technology unit to study a Mach 5 passenger transport capable of crossing the Atlantic in 2 hr. or the Pacific in 3. The initial concept vehicle, unveiled at the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA) Aviation 2018 conference in Atlanta, is a preliminary step toward a long-range development plan targeted at both commercial and military applications. Although not ...http://m.aviationweek.com/commercial-aviation/boeing-unveils-hypersonic-airliner-conceptThis concept is garbage. Windows? when Mach 5 stagnation temperatures are >1000°C?Also given L/D of only 4-5 for hypersonic planes your range is terrible - likely less than 5000km unless you use Liquid Hydrogen, in which case you have to make the craft huge for the necessary volume of tankage. And of course given the huge engine power the sonic boom is going to be staggering.Reaction Engines Lapcat is a reasonable approach, this is nothing but a BS advertisement by Boeing. Did you even bother reading the article because if you had you would see this will be using technology from REL.
Yeah, it helps to read the article before comment. That said, does anyone really believe that Boeing is really serious about bringing such a thing to market for commercial travel? I'm asking honestly, I don't know the first thing about the intentions or business case for such a bird but the lessons of Concorde are pretty much commercial aerospace canon at this point so it would seem to me that heavy dose of skepticism is more than reasonable. I'd love to be wrong, but what makes anyone think this is a genuine effort to bring this craft into the market? As I said a few sentences ago, I'm very interested/hopeful for things like this, but count me as a non-believer in this press release, I believe it when they deliver some to a customer (USG doesn't count).
The agency already has midcourse discrimination sensors that will look out into space, such as the Long-Range Discrimination Radar that is expected to be operational by 2020 in Clear, Alaska.“That requires you to do more than tracking,” Graves said. “You have to classify the target and then you have to discriminate the re-entry vehicle out from balloons, chaff or distractors.”Another system, the Missile Defense Tracking System, would be positioned in space looking down at the Earth for the heat signature of a hypersonic threat, Greaves said. The idea is to continue to track the missile even if it is more sophisticated or the target grows dimmer. Hypersonic missiles do not fly in a predictable path the way that ballistic missiles do, and would need more continuous monitoring.
Quote from: EnigmaSCADA on 06/27/2018 12:09 amYeah, it helps to read the article before comment. That said, does anyone really believe that Boeing is really serious about bringing such a thing to market for commercial travel? I'm asking honestly, I don't know the first thing about the intentions or business case for such a bird but the lessons of Concorde are pretty much commercial aerospace canon at this point so it would seem to me that heavy dose of skepticism is more than reasonable. I'd love to be wrong, but what makes anyone think this is a genuine effort to bring this craft into the market? As I said a few sentences ago, I'm very interested/hopeful for things like this, but count me as a non-believer in this press release, I believe it when they deliver some to a customer (USG doesn't count).Concorde shows that there is a small market for fast first last travel across the Atlantic. About a half filled Concorde from London to New York per day.