Key Points
- More top military generals are sounding the alarm on China and Russia.
- Specifically, America is falling behind in critical hypersonic, first-strike technologies.
- “We’re just not as advanced,” says Vice Chief of Space Operations Gen. David Thompson.
A hypersonic missile flies five times faster than the speed of sound; it can change direction so quickly, it’s virtually impossible to take out of the sky. China has launched multiple hypersonic tests this year. Russia has launched one, as well. But the U.S.? It may be a few more years until Uncle Sam is making hypersonic headlines – and that puts us in a very precarious position.
“We’re not as advanced as the Chinese or the Russians in terms of hypersonic programs,” says Vice Chief of Space Operations Gen. David Thompson. The U.S. has a lot of “catching up to do very quickly” because “the Chinese have had an incredibly aggressive program for…years.”
Exactly how far behind is the U.S.?
“During the past five years, the U.S. has conducted nine hypersonic tests, while China has launched hundreds, according to Air Force Gen. John Hyten,” the Wall Street Journal reports.
Nine tests compared to hundreds. Bronze medaling in hypersonic, first-strike weapons is not where America needs to be. And it may be years until we have the tech to compete.
According to Politico, “While the Pentagon has pushed the development of new hypersonic missiles, the Army isn’t slated to field its first missile until 2024. The Navy is aiming to put its own version of the missile on a destroyer in 2025 and on Virginia-class submarines in 2028.”
Former Director of National Intelligence (DNI) John Ratcliffe is also worried about China, saying the U.S. no longer holds a lead when it comes to military technology. “China has closed the gap,” Ratcliffe says. “It poses a national security threat to acknowledge that, but there are places where China’s frankly doing a better job, and it’s further down the curve on some technology issues than we are, and that’s never been the case before.”
So far down the curve, America’s top military scientists are shocked.
According to the Financial Times, “Pentagon scientists were caught off guard by the advance, which allowed the hypersonic glide vehicle, a manoeuvrable spacecraft that can carry a nuclear warhead, to fire a separate missile mid-flight in the atmosphere over the South China Sea, according to people familiar with the intelligence.”
And now Russia is following suit by successfully – and very publicly – testing hypersonic missiles against targets in the White Sea. Senior British military officer Nick Carter says the world is closer than ever to a “miscalculation” that could lead to all out war with Russia.
All of Biden’s top generals are sounding the alarm. Why won’t he listen?
