The US Air Force's hypersonic jet Waverider experienced a failure during its third test flight due to a faulty control fin, following a successful previous test. The X-51 program has faced multiple challenges, including an engine unstart when switching to JP7 fuel and a malfunctioning rocket during an earlier flight. Despite these setbacks, the program has achieved significant milestones, including air-breathing, self-sustained hypersonic flight, and valuable data collection from failed tests. Future tests are uncertain, but the potential military applications of hypersonic technology remain a driving force behind continued research and development.
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boneh3ad said:On top of that, there are no current SAM systems available to hit a target moving at those speeds. I am sure they could try and retool a Patriot to do the job, but hitting an air-breathing, maneuverable vehicle like a cruise missile moving at those speeds is significantly harder than a re-entry vehicle on a ballistic trajectory. In essence, such a weapon gives the military fielding it the ability to strike anywhere in the world with about 2 hours notice assuming they could put enough fuel on board without being anywhere near as provocative as launching an ICBM.
Except it spiraled out of control as a result of a defective fin. That isn't particularly useful, especially because the particular control problem is already solved considering it worked several times before.