Hypersonic Global Strike Feasibility and Options

Abstract

This paper explores the feasibility of hypersonic weapons and aircraft as global strike options in the 2035 timeframe. The paper proposes there are currently two limitations or gaps in U.S. prompt global strike capabilities; timeliness, and increasingly the ability to gain access to the highly-defended target area. Additionally, the USAF has a long history of using advanced technology to stay ahead of the threat defense systems and gaining access to target sets, and by 2035, anti-access and area denial (A2/AD) technologies will increasingly threaten the USAF ability to hold any target on the globe at risk. Therefore, given the fact that technologies will continue developing to diminish and deny the advantages of stealth and space assets, could speed once again allow access to denied, heavily defended targets and close the gap for prompt global strike by 2035?

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Feb 15, 2012
Accession Number
AD1018138

Entities

People

  • Jonathan M. Letsinger

Organizations

  • Air War College

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Air Platforms
  • Autonomy
  • C4I
  • Energy and Power Technologies
  • Engineered Resilient Systems
  • Sensors
  • Space

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Air Force
  • Air Power
  • Aircrafts
  • Airframes
  • Boost Glide Vehicles
  • Directed Energy Weapons
  • Electronically Scanned Array
  • Hypersonic Cruise Missiles
  • Hypersonic Glide Vehicles
  • Materials Laboratories
  • Materials Science
  • Military Organizations
  • Military Science
  • Prompt Global Strike
  • Stealth Technology
  • Supersonic Aircraft
  • Supersonic Combustion Ramjet Engines

Readers

  • Maritime Combat Support and Expeditionary Logistics.
  • Missile Defense Systems.

Technology Areas

  • Hypersonics
  • Space