Hypersonica, an Anglo-German defence start-up developing what it describes as a sovereign European hypersonic strike capability, has completed its first successful hypersonic test flight in Norway, reaching speeds above Mach 6 and covering more than 300 kilometres.
The company said the flight was carried out at Andøya Space on 10 February and marked the first time a privately funded European defence firm had achieved a hypersonic missile test at that performance level. Hypersonica stated that all systems performed as expected throughout the vehicle’s ascent and descent through the atmosphere.
According to the company, the prototype accelerated to speeds exceeding Mach 6, which it said equated to more than 7,400 kilometres per hour. It added that system performance was validated down to subcomponent level under hypersonic flight conditions, providing datasets that will inform future design work and analysis.
Hypersonica’s co-founders, chief executive Dr Philipp Kerth and chief technology officer Dr Marc Ewenz, said the test was a major step towards the firm’s ambition to field a European hypersonic strike capability by 2029.
“Hypersonica has achieved a major milestone on our pathway to developing Europe’s first sovereign hypersonic strike capability by 2029,” they said in a statement. “Our test flight yielded invaluable datasets that will inform the design and development of future high-speed strike systems and enhance our ability to analyse adversary weapon profiles.”
They added that the company’s rapid development cycle was intended to challenge assumptions about the time and cost required to build advanced strike systems.
“As a privately funded startup, our speed from design to the launchpad in just 9 months should recalibrate expectations about the costs and time needed to develop this crucial capability,” they said.
Hypersonica said its development plan involves successive test flights designed to build capability in phases, including flight control at hypersonic speeds, manoeuvrability, and eventually full mission requirements. It described its architecture as modular, allowing upgrades and shorter development cycles compared with conventional approaches.
The company claimed its approach could reduce costs by more than 80% compared with traditional programmes, and said it would support Europe’s ability to meet timelines aligned with NATO and UK hypersonic frameworks targeting the 2030 period.
“This is a proud moment for European defence innovation,” the founders said, adding that the company pursued the work with a focus on responsible development.
Hypersonica, founded in December 2023 by former University of Oxford researchers, is headquartered near Munich and operates a wholly owned subsidiary in London.
V3.
Impressive!
What kind of flight path does it take and what phases can it reach/maintain mach 6?
Gosh.
It interesting, what with project night fall, the UK German 2000km weapon, the UK 600km cheap effector, building more storm shadows, storm shadows replacement, this and versions Europe is going to have so so many ways to bomb the crap about of Russia with conventional strategic weapons.. I do think they may have go together, though about what would Putin really fear..and what he fears is actually things that go bang and smash a nation.. strategic weapons..the thing that Ukrainians have never really had much access to and the thing Russia has hammered Ukraine with.
Probably more than anything if Europe had 10,000 strategic weapons and the ability to build 1000 a month, Putin would get back in his box.
This is indeed very significant as it will get past his S300/400 quite easily.
9 months is seriously impressive to get to a test – bravo for the reductionist thinking that takes.
These things can be done – look at SpaceX – drive and determination coupled with invested brilliant engineers.
Sorry I appreciate the need for funding and all that but the adds are intrusive enough and repeatedly cover the screen on mobile devices. To have to watch more videos to access the site which is still covered in the other adds im afraid im likely to bang out.
If you had one or the other but its too much.
Just my opinion guys
What Adds ?
He is referring to the fact that to view an article now you have to watch a short video Ad or start a subscription. Or are you just doing a play on the mis-spelling of Ad?
What? No subs, no adds.
Oh, I don’t get any Adds or Ads, I’m totaly Add/ad free.
It’s simple, I just pay for a daily delivery and wait for the Paper Boy/Girl to Shove It In My Box.
I was about to suggest that @George offers a totally add free experience for a small subscription. I’d be amazed if the regulars actually click on the range of rubbish ads I get.
I get some very weird ads when I open this site so I’m at cautious about opening it in a professional environment.