During the Cold War, the United States pioneered work in this area but, while China and Russia now field operational hypersonic missile systems, US programmes have experienced test failures and cost overruns. They are now being prioritised, less to compete directly with these systems than to overcome China’s and Russia’s improving conventional area denial defences.
Advancing hypersonic capabilities is an area of bicameral and bipartisan consensus in Congress and enjoys Biden administration backing.
A critical report from the Government Accountability Office in July will provide the basis for congressional oversight.
Unlike Russia, and potentially China, the United States plans to carry only non-nuclear warheads on its hypersonic delivery systems.
