U.S. Army Tests Secret Hypersonic Weapon

[KillShot]

THIS is pretty incredible!

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Quote:</div><div class="ubbcode-body">The U.S. Army's hypersonic weapon prototype streaked across the Pacific Ocean at several times the speed of sound Thurs., Nov. 17, in a flawless maiden test flight. The success could pave the way for a new military capability to strike targets anywhere on Earth in as little as an hour.

Such a hypersonic weapon concept flies at a relatively flat trajectory within the atmosphere, rather than soaring up toward space like a ballistic missile and eventually coming back down. Hypersonic speed is defined as being at least five times the speed of sound (3,805 mph, or 6,124 kph, at sea level).</div></div>

Read more: Fox News

 

[427Cobra]

Re: U.S. Army Tests Secret Hypersonic Weapon

Nice Air Force decal on that thing

 

[garey]

Re: U.S. Army Tests Secret Hypersonic Weapon

I wonder what the payload is

 

[ARP]

Re: U.S. Army Tests Secret Hypersonic Weapon

That pic is from the Air Forces Hypersonic program. It is publicly stated that it will travel at 13,000 mph enabling it to strike targets anywhere on Earth in as little as an hour. That will be a game changer

 

[KYpatriot]

Re: U.S. Army Tests Secret Hypersonic Weapon

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: garey</div><div class="ubbcode-body">I wonder what the payload is</div></div>

Entirely possible that there is no payload. Anything going 13,000mph has some serious kinetic energy. For example the following picture is the damage a <span style="font-style: italic">paint fleck</span> did to an inches thick space shuttle window at about 18,000mph. Imagine what something with some mass could do.

 

[garey]

Re: U.S. Army Tests Secret Hypersonic Weapon

and to think I was impressed by tornadoes sticking straw into telephone poles

 

[ArmaHeavy]

Re: U.S. Army Tests Secret Hypersonic Weapon

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: KYpatriot</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Imagine what something with some mass could do.
</div></div>

<object width="425" height="350"> <param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/Vp9KQ2JGfMg&feature=related"></param> <param name="wmode" value="transparent"></param> <embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/Vp9KQ2JGfMg&feature=related" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="transparent" width="425" height="350"> </embed></object>

 

[cavscout1983]

Re: U.S. Army Tests Secret Hypersonic Weapon

I can't help but think of this movie:

<object width="425" height="350"> <param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/rKR32ImWYzw"></param> <param name="wmode" value="transparent"></param> <embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/rKR32ImWYzw" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="transparent" width="425" height="350"> </embed></object>

 

[ArmaHeavy]

Re: U.S. Army Tests Secret Hypersonic Weapon

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: CS1983</div><div class="ubbcode-body">I can't help but think of this movie:
</div></div>
<object width="425" height="350"> <param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/-gb0mxcpPOU&feature=related"></param> <param name="wmode" value="transparent"></param> <embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/-gb0mxcpPOU&feature=related" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="transparent" width="425" height="350"> </embed></object>
The Johnny Cash remake is excellent too...
<object width="425" height="350"> <param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/bb7TJAyJJ0M"></param> <param name="wmode" value="transparent"></param> <embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/bb7TJAyJJ0M" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="transparent" width="425" height="350"> </embed></object>

 

[HPLLC]

Re: U.S. Army Tests Secret Hypersonic Weapon

Quote source

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Quote:</div><div class="ubbcode-body">"It costs about 1 billion dollars if we wanted to field about 10 or 20 of them per target ... and that's just not affordable," he said.

Read more: http://www.foxnews.com/scitech/2011/08/1...d#ixzz1e8b3AkkG
</div></div>

Sounds like exactly what we need. Weapons to defeat our enemy while economically defeating ourselves.

Although, I guess it might make a great value if used to destroy Iran's Nuclear capabilities for that price.

 

[gathert]

Re: U.S. Army Tests Secret Hypersonic Weapon

There won't need to be a payload. I'm guessing its based off the scramjet program that went mach bazillion a few years ago. From talking with a Lt Col in Space and Missiles, and my own dad being a Lt Col in Air and Missile Defense all we need is something the size of a telephone pole going several thousand miles per hour to do some serious damage. Put it on top of one of those new hypersonic weapons much like the current Minutemen 3 rockets and we have ourselves global strike capability inside of 20 minutes. We can already launch nuclear missiles in a matter of minutes from the Presidents' authorization. Takes a very short amount of time.

Currently its only possible to determine impact location of enemy fired missiles in the third stage of flight. One being launch, two being flight, and three being a controlled un-powerd descent. We already instantly know where the missiles are launched from by our enemies and we have decent tech to shoot them down. Thats the stuff my dad does.

I find this stuff pretty interesting and love to talk about it. My dad has a few videos of his unit shooting stingers at R/C drones during the day and night. Lots of waiting, then the rocket goes off and big boom about 30 seconds later.

 

[Queequeg]

Re: U.S. Army Tests Secret Hypersonic Weapon

<object width="425" height="350"> <param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/sjLJvqpRt_8"></param> <param name="wmode" value="transparent"></param> <embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/sjLJvqpRt_8" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="transparent" width="425" height="350"> </embed></object>