Washington wants to develop hypersonic weaponry faster in light of Moscow’s and Beijing’s advances in the field, according to US Vice-Admiral Johnny Wolfe, head of the US Navy’s Strategic Systems program.
Admitting that the US previously lacked a “real driver” to “take that technology and put it into a weapon system," Wolfe informed that this is no longer the case.
“China and Russia are the drivers,” he said, as quoted by a US media outlet.
Wolfe’s statement came after Russia successfully deployed the Kinzhal hypersonic missile during the ongoing conflict in Ukraine this year, and after China reportedly tested its own hypersonic weapon in 2021.
Extremely fast and maneuverable, hypersonic weapons are very difficult to detect and intercept, making them a nightmare for missile defense specialists.