Aerospace

Test ban for hypersonic missiles?

The technology surrounding missiles that fly at five or more times the speed of sound is not mature. But several nations have either tested hypersonic missiles or intend to do so. The envisioned military value of hypersonic delivery systems lies in their ability to strike quickly over long distances while evading early-warning radars and ballistic missile defenses—but some proponents of the technology also argue that hypersonics could replace nuclear weapons in some roles.