Hypersonic ** is at the forefront of military technology in the world today, it is capable of flying at speeds of more than 5 times the speed of sound, breaking through traditional air defense and anti-missile systems and delivering a fatal blow to the enemy. Both China and the United States are engaged in fierce competition in this area, trying to compete for the technology and market advantage of hypersonic speed**. Recently, a new buyer has emerged, and that is the UAE, the wealthy country in the Middle East.
The UAE has always been a large-spending arms buyer, and it does not hesitate to spend a lot of money on a variety of advanced equipment to enhance its defense strength and regional influence. The UAE is looking to introduce hypersonic systems, and it has made contacts with a number of countries, the two most important of which are China and the United States, according to the U.S. Tactical Report. The chief of staff of the Lieutenant General of the UAE Armed Forces is assessing the US hypersonic missile program, and he also held talks with the CEO of the American company Raytheon on the hypersonic air-launched cruise missile (HACM). At the same time, the UAE is also communicating with China, trying to acquire Chinese hypersonic missile technology or products.
This means that China and the United States will have a "summit showdown" in the UAE's arms sales market. The UAE is the first country in the world to publicly say that it wants to buy hypersonic missiles, and it has ample financial resources and ambitions, and its choice will have a significant impact on the development and promotion of hypersonic **. So, what are the advantages and disadvantages of hypersonic missiles in China and the United States?And how will the UAE decide?
First, let's take a look at the American hypersonic missile project. The United States has invested a lot of resources and energy in the research and development of hypersonic **, and its goal is to achieve full deployment of hypersonic ** by 2025. There are two main projects of hypersonic missiles in the United States, one is the AGM-183A Air-Launched Rapid Response ** (ARRW) and the other is the HACM. Both projects, developed by the U.S. Air Force and Raytheon, use boost-glide methods, in which a rocket booster accelerates the missile to hypersonic speed, and then the glide body of the missile itself maneuvers through the atmosphere.
However, the American hypersonic missile project did not go well, and it suffered several failures and setbacks. The AGM-183A is the most advanced hypersonic missile project in the United States, it is designed to be 20 times the speed of sound, and its goal is to be able to achieve initial combat capability by the end of 2022. However, when the project was tested at full speed for the second time on March 13, 2023, there was a serious malfunction, the missile could not be released from the B-52 bomber, and the test failed. This is the fifth test of the AGM-183A and the fourth failure. The US Air Force was so disappointed by this that it announced that it would no longer procure the AGM-183A, but would shift its focus to the HACM project.
HACM is another US hypersonic missile project, which is designed to be 5 times the speed of sound, and its goal is to be able to achieve initial combat capability by 2027. The project was only launched in October 2020, and it is still in the early stages of development, and no news of a prototype or test launch has yet been made public. In September 2022, Raytheon signed a contract worth nearly $1 billion with the U.S. Air Force to develop and demonstrate a prototype of the HACM missile. Gregory Hayes, CEO of the American company Raytheon, said that the HACM would be a "revolutionary" hypersonic ** that would be highly maneuverable and stealthy, capable of dealing with a complex threat environment.
As can be seen from the above introduction, there are great uncertainties and risks in the US hypersonic missile project, its technical level and maturity are not high, its deployment time and quantity are not clear, and its performance and reliability have not been verified. The leading position of the United States in the field of hypersonic ** no longer exists, it has lagged behind other countries, especially China. It is already very difficult, if not impossible, for the United States to gain an advantage in the arms sales market of the UAE.
Next, let's take a look at China's hypersonic missile project. China has made remarkable achievements in the research and development of hypersonic **, it has successfully developed and deployed a variety of hypersonic missiles, and its technical level and actual combat capability have reached the world's leading level. There are two main Chinese hypersonic missile projects, one is the DF-17 (DF-17) and the other is the YJ-21E (YJ-21E). Both projects use boost-gliding, in which a rocket booster accelerates the missile to hypersonic speed, and then the glide body of the missile itself maneuvers through the atmosphere.
The DF-17 is China's most advanced hypersonic missile project, designed to speed 10 times the speed of sound, and its goal is to be able to counter the U.S. THAAD anti-missile system and carrier battle groups. The DF-17, which made its public debut at the National Day parade on October 1, 2019, achieved initial combat capability at the end of 2020, and it has already equipped some units of the Chinese Rocket Force. The gliding body of the DF-17 adopts a wavy design, which can perform large maneuvers during the flight, improving the penetration and escape capabilities. The DF-17 has a range of up to 2000 km, it can carry conventional or nuclear warheads, and the heavy YJ-21E against the enemy is another Chinese hypersonic missile project, which is designed to be 6 times the speed of sound, and its goal is to be able to deal with US shipborne air defense systems and surface ships. The YJ-21E, which made its public debut at the Zhuhai Airshow in November 2021, is China's first hypersonic missile designed specifically for foreign trade, and it has already attracted the attention and inquiries of several countries. The gliding body of the YJ-21E adopts a sharp, diamond-shaped design, which is capable of performing a high degree of maneuvering during flight, improving penetration and escape capabilities. With a range of up to 1000 km, the YJ-21E can carry conventional or nuclear warheads to deliver devastating strikes against enemy surface targets.
As can be seen from the above introduction, China's hypersonic missile project has great advantages and potential, its technical level and maturity are high, its deployment time and quantity are clear, and its performance and reliability have been verified. China's leading position in the field of hypersonic ** is already unquestionable, and it has surpassed other countries, especially the United States. It is already very easy, and even inevitable, for China to gain an advantage in the UAE's arms sales market.
So, how will the UAE choose?The UAE is a shrewd buyer who will not be easily fooled by the rhetoric of the United States, and will make rational analyses and comparisons according to its actual needs and interests. What the UAE needs is a hypersonic ** that can enhance its strategic deterrence and strike capabilities and be able to deal with potential enemies such as the United States and Iran, not a hypersonic ** that is still under development, has no real combat value, and can only be used as an experiment. The UAE will not ignore the advantages and potential of China's hypersonic **, it will see that China's hypersonic ** already has the world's leading technology and actual combat capabilities, and China has put hypersonic ** on the international stand, showing its willingness and confidence in foreign trade. The UAE will recognize that China's hyperson** is the most suitable option for it, and it will engage in friendly cooperation and negotiations with China to reach an arms sales agreement as soon as possible.
To sum up, the UAE wants to buy hypersonic missiles, and the hypersonic missile projects of China and the United States have launched a "peak showdown" in the UAE's arms sales market. However, the outcome of this showdown is not difficult to predict, China's hypersonic missile program is undoubtedly more advantageous and attractive, and it is likely to win this big deal, adding an important income and reputation to the development and promotion of China's hypersonic **. The US hypersonic missile project, on the other hand, can only sigh with admiration, regretting and frustration at its technological backwardness and market failure. This also reflects the contrast of power and competition between China and the United States in the field of military technology, China has achieved an overwhelming advantage in the field of hypersonic **, while the United States has fallen into a difficult situation and crisis.