The Pentagon stated that the three contracts will be used to develop Glide Phase Interceptor (GPI), with a total value of more than 60 million U.S. dollars.
At the end of October this year, Mark A. Milley, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff of the United States, stated that China’s test of hypersonic missiles, which can evade the US nuclear defense system, is “very close to the Sputnik moment” for the United States. .
Sputnik was the first man-made earth satellite launched by the former Soviet Union in 1957. The Soviet Union was the first to enter space before the United States at that time, which brought great shock and excitement to the United States.
The flying speed of hypersonic weapons can reach more than five times the speed of sound, which can greatly shorten the reaction time of the opponent and successfully pass through the missile defense system.
At present, because of the concerns of various countries, this emerging weapon has become an important player in the new arms race.
In October this year, British media reported that China tested a “hypersonic missile capable of carrying a nuclear warhead” in the summer. Russia stated in December 2019 that its first hypersonic missile force has been deployed.
The U.S. budget for the development of hypersonic weapons is increasing year by year. It was approximately US$800 million in 2017, increased to US$2.4 billion in 2018, and reached US$3.4 billion last year. This year’s budget is approximately 3.6 billion U.S. dollars.
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