The U.K. Ministry of Defense has reportedly intensified efforts to develop an entirely homegrown hypersonic cruise missile by 2030, as reported in the U.K. press Saturday.
Prime Minister Rishi Sunak recently said there would be a dramatic increase in U.K. defense spending.
As part of a £75 billion ($94 billion) increase in the defense budget over the following six years, Sunak has designated this project as its objective.
The preparations for the development of the missiles are reportedly in the early stages. The particular method of missile deployment – land, sea or air – has not been determined.
The U.K.’s Ministry of Defense has been developing hypersonic missile technology since the end of the previous year, in collaboration with a consortium of 80 companies.
The Ministry of Defense launched the Hypersonic Technologies and Capability Development Framework Agreement as a “national mission” in December.
The Ministry of Defense headquarters manages directly the project in Whitehall.
Producing a missile with a velocity greater than March 5 would enable the U.K. to close the gap it currently holds in the hypersonic missile race.
The projected velocity of the hypersonic missile is 6,174 kilometers/second.
Source: Newsroom
