The United States needs to increase funding and support for advanced hypersonic weapons development to counter similar programs in China and Russia, according to former Defense Department official and hypersonic weapons expert Mark Lewis.
He said he expects the Trump administration to prioritize this critical area of defense technology.
“I’m very bullish on hypersonics… I think we’re going to see very steady, consistent funding,” Lewis said March 24 during a live webinar hosted by SpaceNews.
Lewis currently serves as president and CEO of the nonprofit Purdue Applied Research Institute,
Hypersonic weapons—missiles or vehicles capable of traveling at speeds of Mach 5 or above, at least five times the speed of sound—are increasingly viewed as essential components of modern military strategy due to their ability to evade traditional defense systems.
The Pentagon anticipates that China and Russia may target U.S. and allied forces with hypersonic glide vehicles, which are rocket-launched weapons that glide to their targets and use atmospheric forces to maneuver. Their combination of high speed and maneuverability makes them particularly difficult to intercept using conventional defense systems.
As these nations advance their hypersonic missile programs, the Pentagon faces increasing pressure to accelerate its own development efforts, Lewis said. To defend the U.S. homeland from these threats, the administration also intends to develop a layered defense system of sensors and interceptor missiles known as Golden Dome.
Lewis noted that there is strong support within the Pentagon for investments in hypersonic weapons technology, partly because of opportunities to leverage private investments in commercial test vehicles that could accelerate next-generation missile development.
A key advocate for these programs is Deputy Defense Secretary Stephen Feinberg, co-founder and former chief executive…
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