What is a Hypersonic Missile?

Conventional defense systems are insufficient against hypersonic missiles, which have recently gained importance. The speed of hypersonic missiles, which various countries focus on, provides a great advantage over defense systems and cannot be stopped.

Hypersonic missiles traveling at 5 mach (6,125 km/h) and higher are approximately 5 times faster than the speed of sound (1,235 km/h). It is claimed that some missiles produced can reach up to 10 mach.

When hypersonic missiles become functional, a huge difference will be made between defense systems and attack systems. There is currently no missile defense system that can intercept or neutralize a hypersonic missile. For this reason, countries give such weight to hypersonic missile studies.

There is no operational hypersonic missile officially announced so far. Studies are kept secret, but it has been announced by governments that some missiles have been tested.

Hypersonic missiles are expected to achieve much higher speed and impact than subsonic and supersonic missiles. Hypersonic missiles, which are expected to have the power to easily destroy heavy defense vehicles, are missiles with high deterrence capabilities.

To briefly talk about subsonic missiles and supersonic missiles; subsonic missiles are missiles with a speed of about 0.9 mach. Neutralizing subsonic missiles is simple, but still highly effective today. Supersonic missiles have speeds around 2 and 3 mach. It exceeds the speed of sound.

Can hypersonic missiles be stopped?

Hypersonic missiles are of great value because there is currently no approved method of defense to neutralize them. But as defense technology advances, countermeasures will emerge. Technologies such as directed energy weapons, particle beams, and other non-kinetic weapons are likely candidates for effective defense against hypersonic missiles. According to a defense idea, a network of space-based satellites and sensors will be able to instantly track the gliding vehicles of hypersonic missiles. The idea, which was approved in theory and thought to work, would be an important step in defense against hypersonic missiles.