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6h ago

Ex-Defense Leaders Urge Pentagon to Mass-Produce Hypersonic Weapons as China, Russia Outpace U.S.

An Atlantic Council task force says affordability constraints, alongside testing bottlenecks, now undercut deterrence.

Service members from the US Department of Defense and the Australian Defence Force pose with the Long Range Hypersonic Weapon System in Northern Territory, Australia, July 9, 2025. (US Army photo by Sgt. Perla Alfaro)
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The U.S. Air Force Research Laboratory is working to develop an air-breathing hypersonic vehicle. Credit: Artist concept by AFRL and Leidos
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Overview

  • The Atlantic Council’s Hypersonic Capabilities Task Force released its report Oct. 9 calling for rapid fielding of both offensive hypersonic strike systems and counter-hypersonic interceptors at scale.
  • Co-chairs Deborah Lee James and Ryan McCarthy, with lead author Michael White, contend U.S. designs are capable but too costly to produce in deterrent quantities, with some missiles estimated at $15–$30 million each.
  • The study urges a shift to commercial-style, high-volume manufacturing focused on affordability rather than bespoke, low-rate production.
  • It recommends modernizing test infrastructure with an AI-enabled test network, warning that siloed facilities and slow processes remain bottlenecks despite ongoing TRMC upgrades.
  • The report cites Russia’s combat use of hypersonics and a Ukrainian intelligence forecast of roughly 2,500 precision missiles in 2025, arguing interceptor-based defenses can be overwhelmed and that offense at scale is essential.