Army Hypersonic Missile Fails in Second Test (Chinese Hypersonic Weapons Worked.)

Washington Free Beacon, Drudge Report ^ | August 25, 2014 5:00 am | Bill Gertz

[Robert A Cook PE]

Well, shucks.

The Arny's hypersonic weapon failed (booster failure after launch from Alaska) but the Chinese hypersonic weapon passed its test.

Bummer.

I can see the logic: This is merely a hyper-expensive "drone" that doesn't need all that mess and inconvenience of actual troops or fliers crossing borders. Just "push the button" from a safely hidden Washington DC bunker, and blow up a supposed target half the wrold away quickly.

Now, you ARE spending 100,000,000.00 dollars to destroy a dirt building next to a tent that "night" have the one person you "think" might be be in the building. Maybe.

But it is like spending a 100,000.00 missile to destroy a 10,000.00 truck carrying supplies worth 1,500.00 dollars. You lose wars quickly if the leaders don't want to win wars.

[Nervous Tick]

They’ll work out the bugs.

I have great faith in our military-industrial complex. :-)

(Although no faith in their gay muslim CIC)

[JohnKinAK]

Maybe the Army should leave these missile systems to the Air Force and instead concentrate things like armored vehicles.

[allendale]

The Chinese have developed out of strategic necessity excellent shore to ship missiles. They would need to clear the Taiwan Strait of hostile naval forces in the event of war. They have sold these missiles to Iran. Iran has fortified the shallow narrow Persian Gulf where at least a dozen big blue water ships of the US Navy including two carriers are on station. It is conceivable that the US Navy faces a debacle worse than Pearl Harbor in 15 minutes. Call it the Geico scenario.

[Pox]

There was a post on FR just a few days back that stated the Chinese Hypersonic test failed.

Disinformation reigns! http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/3195758/posts

[G Larry]

Not likely to live long enough for kinks to be resolved.

Decision makers are too easily influenced by the hand wringers.

That’s why we’re in this position rather than deploying something that could have been working by now.

[Pox]

In fact, the body of your post states that the Chinese test of their WU014 failed as well.

Your thread title is misleading.

[Robert A Cook PE]

I’ll trust Gertz’s information about the Chinese test .... But they, in particular, want to create powerful impressions.

[baddog 219]

A space platform rail gun would be much better.... and cheaper.

[WilliamofCarmichael]

"China poses a major and growing threat to U.S. joint operational access in the Asia-Pacific region.”

They won't give back our plans and it was the only copy we had.

[Pox]

The flight test, the second for the new weapon, took place less than three weeks after China conducted a second flight test of its new Wu-14 hypersonic glide vehicle, a similar weapon system. The Wu-14 test is part of a system that U.S. intelligence agencies say will be used to deliver nuclear weapons and possibly conventional long-range strikes against ships. Defense analysts also have said the Wu-14 appears to be part of a Chinese version of Prompt Global Strike. The Wu-14 is said to travel at speeds of up to Mach 10 or nearly 8,000 miles per hour. Hong Kong’s South China Morning Post, quoting two Chinese sources, reported last week that the Wu-14 test also was a failure. The vehicle broke up soon after launch.

I'm sorry, but exactly where does it state in your own post that the Chinese test of the U.S. designated WU-14 succeeded?

[biff]

“hypersonic glide vehicle”????? I don’t think that gliding hypersonically would be possible. The required rate of descent would not be optimal./s

[Pox]

Can it be done? Yes. Has it successfully been demonstrated? Not by the Chinese as far as we know, and I am not entirely certain of the success the U.S. has had to date.

[SamuraiScot]

Pentagon spokeswoman Maureen Schumann

Okay, this might be a fine, normal, and qualified lady who has put in long years and knows what she's talking about. But what is seen makes me wonder about things unseen: Is there affirmative discrimination against males in the engineering and technical end of things as well? That wouldn't go well at all.

[biff]

Being a licensed pilot, I do not think it is possible to glide @ 8,000 MPH. You could drop a titanium spear from 100,000 ft. and it would still not reach hypersonic speeds.

The only possible conclusion to this statement, “hypersonic glide vehicle”, is translation malfunction.

[Monty22002]

The Space Shuttle did, with S-turns.

[Pox]

Dropping a glide vehicle of any type would not achieve hypersonic speeds. I agree with you wholeheartedly. However, the tech they are describing is a Hypersonic glide vehicle that has been boosted to sub orbital height and then accelerated to hypersonic speed which will then “glide” to its target.

That is the way I understand the concept, and I will be the first to admit I may be %100 wrong about my belief in how the technology is supposed to work.

[biff]

Ok, you might be right but you gotta tell me the logical reasoning concerning the design, construction and operational costs of using the space shuttle as a hypersonic glider used to deliver possible nuclear weapons.

At what altitude did the S turns take place and at what speed?

[biff]

Granted possible usage theory. Now, tell me what the advantages to this delivery vehicle is over a tried and true system already in existence, the ballistic missile?

[dr_lew]

That is the way I understand the concept, and I will be the first to admit I may be %100 wrong about my belief in how the technology is supposed to work.

I will bet you 100$ that you are wrong :-)