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China’s hypersonic air-to-air missile: A game-changer in modern warfare

By ljdevon // 2025-01-28

• China unveils a groundbreaking hypersonic air-to-air missile, marking a significant leap in military technology.
• The missile, developed by the China Airborne Missile Academy, can travel at speeds exceeding Mach 5 and has a range of over 1,000 kilometers.
• This development poses a direct threat to U.S. stealth aircraft, including the F-22, F-35, and the new B-21 Raider bomber.
• The missile’s extreme heat resistance and maneuverability represent a major technical breakthrough, challenging existing air combat strategies.

The hypersonic arms race now favors China, Russia

In a world where military supremacy is increasingly defined by speed and precision, China has taken a decisive step forward with the unveiling of its new hypersonic air-to-air missile. Developed by the China Airborne Missile Academy (CAMA), this weapon represents a technological leap that could reshape the balance of power in the skies. Capable of traveling at speeds exceeding Mach 5 (6,400 kilometers per hour) and with a range of over 1,000 kilometers, the missile is designed to target advanced U.S. stealth aircraft, including the F-22, F-35, and the newly developed B-21 Raider bomber. This development comes amid a global arms race in hypersonic technology, with China, Russia, and the U.S. vying for dominance. Hypersonic missiles, defined as those traveling at speeds above Mach 5, have become a focal point of modern military strategy. Unlike traditional ballistic missiles, hypersonic weapons can maneuver mid-flight, making them harder to intercept. China has been at the forefront of this race, first deploying the ground-based DF-17 hypersonic missile in 2017. Since then, it has expanded its arsenal to include submarine-launched, ground-based, and air-launched variants, such as the DF-21D, nicknamed the “carrier-killer,” and the DF-26B, known as the “Guam Express” for its ability to target U.S. bases in the Pacific. Russia has also made significant strides, testing its Oreshnik hypersonic missile in Ukraine, while the U.S. recently conducted its first successful test of the Dark Eagle, a surface-to-surface hypersonic weapon. However, China’s new air-to-air hypersonic missile represents a unique and potentially game-changing development. Unlike ground or sea targets, aircraft move at much higher speeds and require missiles to be both fast and highly maneuverable—a challenge long considered insurmountable.

Overcoming the heat barrier is crucial

The primary obstacle to developing hypersonic air-to-air missiles lies in managing the extreme heat generated at such speeds. At Mach 5, the missile’s surface can reach temperatures exceeding 1,200 degrees Celsius (2,192 degrees Fahrenheit), posing risks of structural deformation, thermal damage, and electronic failure. To address this, Chinese scientists at CAMA employed cutting-edge testing methods, including oxyacetylene flames, lasers, and high-temperature plasmas reaching up to 16,000 degrees Celsius. The team also utilized an arc-heated wind tunnel, a facility capable of generating airflows at tens of thousands of degrees Celsius. “By heating the gas with an electric arc, [this type of tunnel] can generate hot air flows reaching thousands to tens of thousands of degrees Celsius,” wrote senior CAMA scientists Cheng Gong and Huang Yimin in a peer-reviewed paper published in the journal Equipment Environmental Engineering. While the wind tunnel is “super expensive” to operate due to its enormous power consumption, it has proven essential for simulating the extreme conditions faced by hypersonic missiles.

Strategic implications for global air power

The introduction of China’s hypersonic air-to-air missile has profound implications for global air combat strategies. Traditional air-to-air missiles rely on radar guidance and in-flight updates from the launching aircraft, limiting their range and effectiveness. In contrast, hypersonic missiles can engage targets with little to no warning, thanks to their sheer speed and maneuverability. In a simulated exercise conducted in 2023, a Chinese J-16 fighter armed with the new missile successfully intercepted a target at hypersonic speeds, climbing to the edge of the atmosphere before descending at hypervelocity. This capability poses a direct threat to U.S. stealth aircraft, which were designed under the assumption that adversaries would rely on slower, less advanced interception systems. “The detection range of mainstream airborne missile warning systems is less than 10 kilometers,” noted military analysts. “From the time the alarm sounds to the missile’s arrival, pilots would have less than four seconds to react.” Even the F-22, one of the fastest U.S. fighters, can only reach speeds of about Mach 2, making evasion nearly impossible. The development of hypersonic air-to-air missiles marks a new frontier in military technology, forcing air forces worldwide to rethink their strategies. For the U.S., the B-21 Raider bomber, designed to penetrate heavily defended airspace, may now face unprecedented risks. The missile’s ability to engage targets at extreme ranges and speeds could render even the most advanced stealth platforms vulnerable. Beyond the technological challenges, the hypersonic arms race carries significant economic implications. Developing and maintaining these systems requires substantial investment, from advanced wind tunnels to heat-resistant materials. As China continues to lead in this field, its adversaries may find themselves forced to allocate vast resources to keep pace—a strategy that aligns with Sun Tzu’s ancient maxim: “Bankrupt your enemy.” In the end, China’s hypersonic breakthrough is not just a testament to its technological prowess but a stark reminder of the shifting dynamics of global power. As nations grapple with the implications of this new era of warfare, one thing is clear: the skies will never be the same. Sources include: Unz.com Enoch, Brighteon.ai Substack.com

China national security military technology innovation dangerous military advancements military tech arms race hypersonic missiles weapon systems weapons technology airspace engineering feats air-to-air missiles oxyacetylene flames heat barrier missile range missile speed