Space.com
• Mike Wall
Stratolaunch has conducted more than 10 flights of Talon-A, its autonomous, air-launched hypersonic vehicle capable of reaching five times the speed of sound. The milestone marks continued flight-test activity for a platform designed to support repeatable hypersonic testing and technology development.
Hypersonic
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Stratolaunch has conducted more than 10 flights of Talon-A, its autonomous, air-launched hypersonic vehicle capable of reaching five times the speed of sound. The milestone marks continued flight-test activity for a platform designed to support repeatable hypersonic testing and technology development.
China’s Type 052D destroyer reportedly carried and launched the YJ-20 hypersonic missile, signaling an expanded naval strike capability in the Pacific. Separately, Japan’s F-2 fighter has been seen with a new large stealth cruise missile under its wings, pointing to longer standoff reach for air-launched strikes.
Chinese state media has hinted at wider deployment of the YJ-20 hypersonic anti-ship missile, a program closely watched by regional militaries and defense analysts. The reporting suggests the weapon is moving beyond limited demonstrations toward more extensive fielding.
China’s military says the Yingji-20 (YJ-20) hypersonic anti-ship ballistic missile is compatible with the Type 052D guided-missile destroyer. The move expands hypersonic cruise/strike-like capability beyond the largest ships, spreading it across a wider set of hulls and operating areas.
The Air Force’s propulsion directorate chief said an adaptive turbofan engine “could” be integrated into the forthcoming F-47 stealth fighter by 2030, describing it as an enabler for next-generation capability. He stressed no final decisions have been made, leaving timing and selection open.
Longshot has been selected for the U.S. Air Force’s Velocity Alliance, a consortium aimed at upgrading national test capabilities with an affordable, high-cadence hypersonic test launcher concept. Separately, the UK MOD awarded Lockheed Martin UK £320 million for Project Bowline, delivering a hypersonic target aircraft to support missile defense flight tests from 2027 over the Hebrides.
The 7th Infantry Division shared imagery of troops training with the Dark Eagle hypersonic missile system during Valiant Shield in June 2026, with the training location not officially disclosed but open-source analysis pointing to Guam. Separately, the U.S. Air Force has issued a request for an air defense missile system to protect its installations against cruise missiles and drones.
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