First Russian air-launched hypersonic missiles expected for 2020

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World Aviation Defense & Security News - Russia
 
 
First Russian air-launched hypersonic missiles expected for 2020
 
The first air-launched hypersonic missiles could be produced in Russia within the next six years, Boris Obnosov, general director of the Tactical Missile Systems Corporation, stated Thursday. "In my estimation, the first hypersonic products should appear … in this decade — before 2020. We have approached this. We are talking about speeds of up to six to eight Mach. Achieving higher speeds is a long term perspective," Obnosov told journalists at the Airshow China-2014 space exhibition.
     
The first air-launched hypersonic missiles could be produced in Russia within the next six years, Boris Obnosov, general director of the Tactical Missile Systems Corporation, stated Thursday. "In my estimation, the first hypersonic products should appear … in this decade — before 2020. We have approached this. We are talking about speeds of up to six to eight Mach. Achieving higher speeds is a long term perspective," Obnosov told journalists at the Airshow China-2014 space exhibition. Russian hypersonic missile project displayed at Alexander Bereznyako Raduga Design Bureau
     
He noted that hypersonic missiles will be air-launched at first, using the carrier aircraft’s initial velocity to reach the speeds necessary to run a ramjet engine.

The general director also suggested that manned hypersonic vehicles would appear no earlier than 2030. "I believe that manned flights at hypersonic speeds will be possible sometime between 2030 and 2040."

Russia's first PAK DA next-generation long-range bombers, expected enter service by 2023, will carry hypersonic missiles, Obnosov told Sputnik in 2013.

Earlier this year, Obnosov also said that Indian specialists may be recruited to work on the development of Russian hypersonic missiles, . “If our Indian colleagues are prepared to consider this question carefully then we will initiate cooperation with them as far as technical passports will permit for work of this nature,” he said on the sidelines of ‘Innovation Day,’ which was organised by the Russian Ministry of Defence.

Obnosov noted that working on hypersonic missiles is “multi-disciplinary, covering all aspects of missile production” and required the combined efforts not only of the Tactical Missile Armament Corporation, but also those of related companies.