Chinese Hypersonic Developments (HGVs/HCMs)
- Thread starter A.Man
- Start date
None, as far as we know. The only missile we know that you could consider an air launched hypersonic missile is this:
There is also the YJ-21 but it is more like an ALBM.
Do we know if or whether China is currently developing LRHW/OpFires-equivalent conical HGV missiles for deployment against the 1IC?
IMO, such missiles could potentially become a cheaper complement to the DF-17 wave-riding HGV while also succeeding the DF-100 at the same time (of which every TEL is able to carry and launch two missiles instead of just one). Said missile should have similar strike ranges with the DF-100, but being significantly faster (and thus easier to break through enemy defenses).
IMO, such missiles could potentially become a cheaper complement to the DF-17 wave-riding HGV while also succeeding the DF-100 at the same time (of which every TEL is able to carry and launch two missiles instead of just one). Said missile should have similar strike ranges with the DF-100, but being significantly faster (and thus easier to break through enemy defenses).
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DF-21D and I believe many other variants are conical "HGVs" already. Basically any ballistic missile with a very long warhead and fins at the tail is potentially a conical "HGV". I use quotation marks because it is a quite old tech and has been broadly used for some time.
It is old but not necessarily cheaper because the only difference is the shape which is made by machines that does not necessarily differ in production time and material. It is analog to Mercedes built in the 1980s and 2020s, you get better stuff but similar price.
LRHW is basically a modernised Pershing II sort of MaRV hypersonic (read speed regime) dual conical "glider".
Gliders fall in many categories with the wedge type (like DF-ZF/DF-17/DF-27) arguable being the most advanced and kinematically capable due to generating much more lift and having much more complex surface designs, control and guidance compared to conical "gliders".
LRHW is similar in that respect to what DF-21D and DF-26 are. Except without the range of DF-26. China's anti-ship ballistic missile program from the 2000s which resulted in the second generation of AShBM in Chinese arsenal (DF-21D) is basically what the LRHW is today except in service nearly 20 years before LRHW and designed from the get go to hit moving targets at sea.
On hypersonic MaRV, the US was the first to explore it just like Soviets were first to conceptualise many of these more recent wonder weapons but now the US is far behind China in not just MaRV conical gliders and weapons but especially in winged gliders. The two are roughly similar in powered hypersonic cruise missiles though since that's been an area the US has had ongoing programs and testing in for at least 20 years. Also the US was first to test fly scramjet over a decade ago and sustain power for over 100 seconds iirc.
China has long since moved on from simple scramjets though, having been test flying not just scramjets for at least a decade but also oblique detonation engines, rotating detonation engines, and various types of combined cycle engines in recent years. The US is following now with various rotating detonation engines as well. US initial mover, slow sustained initial moves, fast at catching up when realising adversaries managed to gap them however slightly. Gotta respect that and give it some concern. US also structurally/systematically better/good at innovating. China has monumental national resources and talent pool though. Interesting arms race.
Influence of wall curvature on evolution of converged flow generated by crossing shock wave/boundary layer interaction: An experimental study
Simulations of n-dodecane/oxygen/nitrogen cellular detonations
Simulations of n-dodecane/oxygen/nitrogen cellular detonations
There are only three types of combined cycle engines. Are there any more?
The missile kill chain however fully came into place only a few years ago.