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Interesting to ponder the US need for hypersonic capabilities. PRC + Russia needs it to asymmetrically challenge the USN. Not many time-sensitive targets for th

Interesting to ponder the US need for hypersonic capabilities. PRC + Russia needs it to asymmetrically challenge the USN. Not many time-sensitive targets for the US to hit in PRC or Russia outside of mobile TELs to take out road mobile nuclear forces. For context, US dumping ~4B into hypersonics = ~3000 JASSMs which is probably a better investment for peer naval warfare. Politically, this program feels like air force trying to stay relevant for China pivot, grabbing a slice of the pie, and obviously good for MIC.

echelon 5y ago
The PRC is developing a blue water navy and is heavily ramping up on carrier shipbuilding. It makes sense that the US would want to build similar, land-based defensive strategies as a deterrent.
- dirtyid 5y ago
  >The Air Force has said it plans to pursue both the ARRW and the Hypersonic Attack Cruise Missile (HACM), as initial and future hypersonic attack capabilities, respectively. These are offensive standoff weapons launched from air designed to hit time sensitive targets. The question is really what targets, like I said, spending the money on 3000 JASSMs is already enough to sink every major PLAN combatants with room to spare. Need to consider what these hypersonics can hit that traditional standoff weapons can't. Or just the politics behind aquisition between branches. I'm not saying this is bad/wasteful defense spending, but curious what it's exactly for.
  - nradov 5y ago
    It's for prompt global strike against high value, time-sensitive targets when there are no platforms capable of launching JASSMs (or similar weapons) within range.
    - dirtyid 5y ago
      Right, I'm just curious what targets fits such profile. Ostensibly US doesn't need this new capability unless there are new threats.
      - nradov 5y ago
        Likely targets would include high-level terrorists (think the next Osama bin Laden), adversary senior leadership, capital ships, and weapons of mass destruction.
aidenn0 5y ago
Would a hypersonic SAM improve CV survivability against non-hypersonic cruis missiles?
- dirtyid 5y ago
  This is an entirely different program than hypersonic defense on naval platforms. As far as I know Pentagon is focusing on lasers and advanced interceptor designs, and hopes to have something "workable" by the mid 2025s.

echelon 5y ago

The PRC is developing a blue water navy and is heavily ramping up on carrier shipbuilding. It makes sense that the US would want to build similar, land-based defensive strategies as a deterrent.

dirtyid 5y ago
>The Air Force has said it plans to pursue both the ARRW and the Hypersonic Attack Cruise Missile (HACM), as initial and future hypersonic attack capabilities, respectively. These are offensive standoff weapons launched from air designed to hit time sensitive targets. The question is really what targets, like I said, spending the money on 3000 JASSMs is already enough to sink every major PLAN combatants with room to spare. Need to consider what these hypersonics can hit that traditional standoff weapons can't. Or just the politics behind aquisition between branches. I'm not saying this is bad/wasteful defense spending, but curious what it's exactly for.
- nradov 5y ago
  It's for prompt global strike against high value, time-sensitive targets when there are no platforms capable of launching JASSMs (or similar weapons) within range.
  - dirtyid 5y ago
    Right, I'm just curious what targets fits such profile. Ostensibly US doesn't need this new capability unless there are new threats.
    - nradov 5y ago
      Likely targets would include high-level terrorists (think the next Osama bin Laden), adversary senior leadership, capital ships, and weapons of mass destruction.

aidenn0 5y ago

Would a hypersonic SAM improve CV survivability against non-hypersonic cruis missiles?

dirtyid 5y ago
This is an entirely different program than hypersonic defense on naval platforms. As far as I know Pentagon is focusing on lasers and advanced interceptor designs, and hopes to have something "workable" by the mid 2025s.