4 ms·
It was an AGM-183 ARRW. The test on the 14th hit Mach 5, but they claim a theoretical top speed of Mach 20. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/AGM-183_ARRW https:/
by ortusdux 4y ago
It was an AGM-183 ARRW. The test on the 14th hit Mach 5, but they claim a theoretical top speed of Mach 20.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/AGM-183_ARRW https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/AGM-183_ARRW
- deleted 4y ago[deleted]
- rootusrootus 4y agoReading through the timeline on that page, it sounds like Congress has decided to kill the project. I wonder if this successful test will turn that around.
- ortusdux 4y agoFrom Lockheed's press release: Additional booster and all-up-round test flights will continue throughout 2022, before reaching Early Operational Capability (EOC) in 2023. So it sounds like they found the cash somewhere. https://news.lockheedmartin.com/2022-05-17-us-air-force-and-lockheed-martin-successfully-complete-arrw-hypersonic-boosted-test-flight https://news.lockheedmartin.com/2022-05-17-us-air-force-and-...
- riku_iki 4y agoIt says they transferred half of funds from procurement to R&D, probably because previous tests failures.
- KennyBlanken 4y agoBiden's bumping up the military budget by tens of billions of dollars, that's what's turning this around. We finally got ourselves out of the Middle East, but we gotta keep the military-industrial complex fed, I guess. We already spend more total and per capita than the next top ten countries combined. It's so sad. We could do so much domestically, or just worked on influencing foreign policy by helping other countries, instead of military force projection.
- credit_guy 4y agoThe problem with military spending is that if you choose your investments very judiciously, you end up not being attacked. And if you are not attacked, it looks like all the investment was for nothing.
- nradov 4y ago20+ years of the "Global War on Terror" really ground down our military capability across the board. Systems were pushed past the breaking point in a short-sighted attempt to hold down costs. Now if we're going to continue having an effective military at all then we're going to have to recapitalize everything. That is the budgetary reality. If we want to reduce the intended mission set and scale down the military accordingly then that's an option, but it means surrendering control of the Asia-Pacific region to China. Would that be better?
- FredPret 4y agoMach 20 is so fast. It's around the Earth at the equator (ground level) in two hours.
- HPsquared 4y agoOrbital speeds within the atmosphere, basically. Edit: I suppose that means the vehicle wouldn't need any aerodynamic lift when going at full speed; indeed, to maintain altitude it'd need negative lift.
- SkyMarshal 4y agoBarely within the atmosphere, I assume. Mach 20 at commercial jet altitudes would probably melt the aircraft.
- Victerius 4y agoJust build your aircraft out of titanium. *cough*SR-71*cough*
- SkyMarshal 4y agoI said Mach 20, not Mach 3.
- FredPret 4y agoWonder if this would be much of an issue for a missile. It can melt away on the outside to a degree, as long as the payload gets there intact. And it can get anywhere on the planet in an hour, so perhaps a sacrificial shield would work.