China Launches New Threat,but the US Navy Builds Its Own

The Financial Times has reported that China had launched a hypersonic vehicle into space in July or August.The nuclear-capable weapon,capable of gliding to its target at over five times the speed of sound,was launched on an Intercontinental Ballistic Missile.It circled the Earth and then landed about 40 kilometers/25 miles from its target.Admiral James "Sandy" Winnefeld,US Navy retired,who was Vice Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff,said the test was an important surprise: because it demonstrates the capability to have a very long reach hypersonic weapon that could cause a lot of damage without us able to do anyhting about it.China denied the report,saying it was actually a space vehicle sent up on a routine mission to develop reusable space vehicles.China has been known to use its space program to cloak other military projects,however.* Hypersonic weapons,which may have conventional or nuclear warheads,are so fast and fly so low to the ground,they can be nearly impossible to detect.For its part,the US Navy is currently developing the Conventional Prompt Strike (CPS) hypersonic weapon.It is intended to add strategic capability to the new Zumwalt-class destroyers and Virginia-class attack submarines.Launched on an 86.63 cm/34.5 in diameter rocket from launch tubes,it is to be deployed on the three Zumwalt-class destroyers by 2025,and on the Virginia-class submarines by 2028.New,larger launch tubes will have to be added to the Zumwalts in an Advanced Payload Module,since the existing 20 MK57 VLS modules with 80 launch cells are too narrow to accomodate the CPS.They are actually intended for the Evolved Sea Sparrow Missile,Tomahawk cruise missile or Vertical Launch Anti-Submarine Missile.* Two of the three Zumwalt-class destroyers,the USS Zumwalt (DDG 1000) and USS Michael Monsoor (DDG 1001),have so far been commissioned.The future Lyndon B. Johnson (DDG 1002) has been launched and is being fitted out.The stealthy,heavily armed warships are built by General Dynamics Bath Iron Works.* General Dynamics (GD)