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DARPA launches push for air-breathing hypersonic cruise missiles
The Next Generation Hypersonic Cruise Missile effort is expected to define requirements for radically new propulsion, fuels and systems, with potential flight-test ranges from about 250 to 2,000 nautical miles.
The United States is starting a new push to develop air-breathing hypersonic cruise missiles, with the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency planning to bring contractors together later this month to outline requirements for its Next Generation Hypersonic Cruise Missile program, according to the SCMP Economy.
The project centers on air-breathing propulsion, which draws oxygen from the atmosphere rather than carrying it onboard, allowing designers to reduce weight used for oxidizer and potentially allocate more capacity to fuel or payload.
DARPA says it is not seeking a simple upgrade, and in an industry request issued last month it called for radically new propulsion, fuels, boosters and systems that can withstand the extreme heat of hypersonic flight.
SCMP Economy reports DARPA also asked contractors to consider flight tests over distances ranging from about 250 to 2,000 nautical miles, with missile sizes potentially spanning weapons carried by tactical aircraft to larger systems launched from bombers or the ground.