At the US Army Association Conference in Honolulu (AUSA) an image of the American promising ground-based hypersonic missile system Hypersonic Weapons System was published (HWS), according to Breaking Defense. This project was presented to the public by the head of the Office of Accelerated Development and Critical Technologies (Rapid Capabilities and Critical Technologies Office, RCCTO) US Lieutenant General Neil Thurgood.
An analogue of the Russian "Avant-garde"
The Hypersonic Weapons System consists of a carrier in the form of an AUR solid-propellant rocket and a Common Hypersonic Glide Body hypersonic gliding warhead. (C-HGB). Sandia National Laboratory and the Department of Energy are working on the creation of weapons. Also involved in the project are engineers from the Missile Defense Agency and specialists from three branches of the US Armed Forces - the Army. (Ground forces), Air Force and Navy.
The launch of the AUR will be carried out from two transport and launch containers with a length of about 10 m on the chassis of the tractor Oshkosh M983A4 (8kh8). The complex will be equipped with the AFATDS automated fire control system, common in the US missile forces and artillery, in the version 7.0. Testing of the Hypersonic Weapons System should begin at 2021 year, rollout scheduled for 2023 year.
Neil Thurgood did not even report the general characteristics of a promising hypersonic complex, but told, that it will be a strategic weapon. This statement leads to the conclusion that, what range (at least maximum) ammunition will exceed 5,5 thousands of kilometers, based on the principles of classification of missiles, set out in the Treaty on the Elimination of Intermediate-Range and Short-Range Missiles (DRSMD).
The fact that representatives of almost all branches of the US Armed Forces participated in the development of HWS indicates that, that after the creation of the ground version, the Americans will begin to develop modifications for aviation (apparently, strategic) and fleet.
The media has an opinion, that the Hypersonic Weapons System was based on the Advanced Hypersonic Weapon project (AHW), experimental hypersonic warhead. On trials in 2011-2012 years, she developed speed in 8 Makhov (more 9 thousand km / h), which satisfied the customer.
AHW was created as part of the concept of "Fast Global Strike" (Conventional Prompt Global Strike). The warhead is a glider with four aerodynamic surfaces. During the flight, it must receive GPS signals, and in the final section use a passive homing system, so as not to become a victim of electronic warfare (EW) the enemy
AHW is made from tungsten, become, chrome, titanium, aluminum, tantalum nickel, composites. During the flight, the warhead is powered by lithium-ion and nickel-manganese batteries.. Most likely concept, implemented in Advanced Hypersonic Weapon, demonstrated its viability, and the Pentagon decided to start developing an already prototype with the prospect of its mass production.
In fact, AHW is an analogue of the Russian Avangard system with a gliding warhead (U-71).
AT 2019 year, one of the regiments of the 13th missile division of the Strategic Missile Forces will take up combat duty (Dombarovsky, Orenburg region), equipped with this weapon. Avangard will be installed on obsolete Soviet R-100N UTTH Stiletto ICBMs, and then to the latest RS-28 "Sarmat" (entry into the troops is scheduled for 2021-2022 years).
No engine - no rocket
As reported by Neil Thurgood, research and development work is currently underway in the interests of the Pentagon (NIOKR) on six projects of hypersonic weapons. For their provision in 2020 fiscal year, the Ministry of Defense will send about 2,6 billion.
From open data it follows, that along with the Hypersonic Weapons System, Americans conduct R&D on the following projects: ArcLight anti-ship missile, cruise missile X-51А Waverider, aircraft rocket HIFiRE, UAV SR-72 (based on the supersonic reconnaissance aircraft SR-71 Blackbird, which is no longer in service with the Air Force).
Another project could be R&D on the Hypersonic Technology Vehicle warhead 2 (HIV-2), which is also being implemented as part of the Rapid Global Strike. but, apparently, work on this weapon was discontinued due to unsuccessful tests. Official information about the HTV-2 project has been published recently.
At the moment, there is not a single hypersonic vehicle in service with the United States. This fact is presented as eloquent proof of the, that Russia was ahead of the United States in the field of military hypersound. Indeed, today the X-47M2 "Dagger" aviation complex is on experimental combat duty of the Aerospace Forces (MiG-31 carrier). Until the end of the year, as stated above, "Vanguard" will enter the troops.
The 3M22 Zircon anti-ship cruise missile is at the final stage of R&D. Based on it, as experts suggest, a ground-based medium-range missile is being created. Besides, The Moscow Institute of Thermal Engineering is working on a project for a long-range aircraft "Anchar-RV", which is very likely to be a hypersonic attack drone.
At the same time, the United States was a pioneer in the field of hypersound.. The world's first machine, who broke the hypersonic barrier in 5 Makhov, became an experimental drone X-43А. It was tested in the first half of the 2000s. However, Russia eventually pulled ahead..
How can one explain the role of the United States as a catch-up power?? Pro-government experts say, that the Pentagon misallocated resources between costly next-generation weapons programs. Most often referred to as a huge amount of money, which was invested in missile defense.
In reality, Americans' spending on missile defense is by no means off the charts.. R&D in this area costs the US budget less than one billion dollars a year.. The amount is quite normal., given the volume of appropriations for other programs. Besides, the system for organizing work on promising projects of the Pentagon can be assessed as a solid five, when compared with the Russian.
Likely, the clue lies in the fact, that our overseas "partners" are accustomed to creating more technologically advanced weapons. American engineers often look for difficult ways, discarding simpler options for solving problems. This is the main feature of the US design school.
In the field of hypersonic weapons, at least 25-30 For years, the United States has been struggling to create a ramjet engine (PVRD). A similar power plant is trying to develop in Russia (in particular, within the framework of R&D on "Zircon"), but for some projects, our country has chosen an alternative path.
for example, up to hypersonic speed "Dagger" accelerates the MiG-31 fighter. The use of such weapons is a very complex process.. Usually, before the rocket launch, conversely, slows down, and here the car must reach a very high speed. Its value is not named., but there is an assumption, that it is close to supersonic.
In other words, domestic aeroballistic missile is not capable of independently exceeding the threshold in 5 Makhov due to the lack of a hypersonic ramjet. In fact, Russia has a hypersonic aircraft missile, but without the MiG-31, it loses its unique characteristics.
At the same time, the Americans expect to put missiles into service., equipped specifically with hypersonic ramjet. This requires new heat-resistant materials.. According to the plans of the Pentagon Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA), their production will require up to 3-5 years.
Thus, the current lag of the United States from the Russian Federation in the field of hypersound is explained by the desire of the Americans to get a reliable, stably operating hypersonic ramjet. Russia pursues a similar goal. The reality is, that both powers are roughly on par, and the only weapon, which our country actually created before the Americans, this is a hypersonic gliding warhead.
Alexey Kapustin
