2nd flight test of hypersonic vehicle launched from B-52
NewsFebruary 23, 2023
HUNTSVILLE, Alabama. A hypersonic scramjet engine-powered vehicle was tested in a recent flight using the Hypersonic Air-breathing Weapon Concept (HAWC), marking the second flight test of the vehicle by a team comprising of Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA), Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL), Aerojet Rocketdyne, and Lockheed Martin, vehicle manufacturer Aerojet Rocketdyne annonced in a statement.
The vehicle was launched from a B-52 and reached speeds of Mach 5 during a flight that lasted for 300 nautical miles at above 60,000 feet, which met the test objectives, the company says.
"The goal of the DARPA HAWC program is to develop and demonstrate critical technologies to enable an effective and affordable air-launched hypersonic cruise missile system," the statement adds. "This test flight increased the amount of scramjet powered vehicle performance data to help bring this vision to fruition."
