France has conducted a flight test of a hypersonic glider for the first time, heralding a weapon with an unpredictable trajectory capable of speeds in excess of Mach 5, or more than 6,000 km/h, we learned Tuesday from a source. familiar with the matter.
The studies of this technological demonstrator, named V-MAX, aim to introduce France into the very closed club of countries with capabilities that allow, thanks to the speed and maneuverability of these machines, to frustrate the interception capabilities of opposing defenses.
The glider was launched from a sound rocket fired from the Landes test center of the General Directorate of Armaments (DGA) on Monday night. France had issued a warning notification for maritime and air navigation that extended over a corridor of about 2,000 kilometers valid between June 26 and 30. The general delegate of Armament Emmanuel Chiva had informed the deputies in February that “demonstrations of technological bricks for hypersonic gliders will soon be carried out (…)”.
“Speeds greater than five times the speed of sound”
Realized under the industrial project management of ArianeGroup, maker of Ariane rockets, the V-Max (Experimental Maneuvering Vehicle) program was launched in January 2019. “Many nations are equipping with it, we have all the skills to do it: we were able to Don’t wait any longer,” argued Florence Parly, then Minister of the Armed Forces.
Three of the five permanent members of the UN Security Council, of which France is a member, are already participating in this arms race with their own programs: the United States, China and Russia. “A hypersonic glider is something that can be flown and reaches speeds greater than five times the speed of sound. The goal is high-speed maneuverability. In that we will differ from a ballistic trajectory ”, explained the DGA.
“Once initial speed is acquired, we will play with the transfers between speed and altitude to go up, down, go right or left, which gives a more difficult trajectory to intercept. If we are the target of a (anti-missile) defense, we can operate evasive maneuvers, ”he stressed.
Source: BFM TV
