>Hypersonics beat the defense by flying faster. No- ICBMs at re entry are just as fast or faster than current hypersonic weapons. Upwards of Mach 20, depending

>Hypersonics beat the defense by flying faster. No- ICBMs at re entry are just as fast or faster than current hypersonic weapons. Upwards of Mach 20, depending on how you want to define the Mach number, whereas hypersonic are typically in the range of Mach 5-10. The "hypersonic" term originally comes from describing the engine type of these weapons, not the vehicle speed. But the term has somewhat evolved over time to describe most any hypersonic (speed) vehicle that's maneuverable throughout its various flight regimes (that don't already fit an existing weapon category, like some air to air missiles). Which means they don't follow a predictable flight trajectory like ICBM's. The lack of a predictable flight path is what makes missile defense so much more difficult, not the speed.