DARPA’s air-breathing hypersonic missiles ready for free-flight tests
Sept. 2 (UPI) -- Captive carry tests of two hypersonic weapons have been completed, with their first free flights scheduled for later this year, according to DARPA and the U.S. Air Force. Lockheed Martin and Raytheon have each designed hypersonic missiles for a combined program of the Air Force and the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency. Advertisement The Hypersonic Air-breathing Weapon Concept program "seeks to develop and demonstrate critical technologies to enable an effective and affordable air-launched hypersonic cruise missile," a DARPA statement on Tuesday said. The HAWC weapon employs "hydrocarbon scramjet-powered propulsion," meaning the traditional fuel and air mixture but in prolonged airflow at speeds in excess of five times the speed of sound. Upcoming flights will de...