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See the title. ICBMs travel at many times the speed of sound through space. We've had them for over half a century.

In fact, they are faster than the "hypersonic missiles" you read about constantly in the news.

Hypersonic missiles are nothing but hype.

See the title. ICBMs travel at many times the speed of sound through space. We've had them for over half a century. In fact, they are faster than the "hypersonic missiles" you read about constantly in the news. Hypersonic missiles are nothing but hype.

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[–] • 4 pts

No. Hypersonic missiles are able to change trajectory in flight and so render anti missile systems useless.

[–] • 2 pts

MRV's have been a thing for forty years.

[–] [deleted] • 1 pt (edited )

They also are hypersonic at a much lower altitude which means the detection range of a ground based radar system is limited to the horizon. If the horizon obscures the missile at it's cruise altitude 500 miles out it means by the time you know it's coming you only have a few seconds to do anything about it.

[–] • 1 pt

ICBM's travel at 4.3 miles per second when they reenter and have had evasive reentry for forty years.

[–] • 1 pt (edited )

You're dumb. The distinction, and it's incredibly important, is that hypersonic missiles do it within the atmosphere and not in the total lack of or extremely very little atmosphere that ICBMs travel at. Additionally they don't travel thousands of miles, they travel shorter distance and likely to a moving target.

What you're saying is like me saying it's not impressive that a bugatti, a street legal car can reach 300mph because dragsters have been for many many years.

[–] • 1 pt

They've been redefining things. China's hypersonic missile are in fact ICBMs. While they do so at lower altitudes they have a distinct vertical boost phase. These are ballistic missiles. Basically next gen mirvs. These are not what everyone thinks of for hypersonic missile.

The real and traditional technology does have a boost phase but it is largely horizontal. It's speed comes from advanced engine and aerodynamic technology. (((MSM))) has purposely blurred the lines so as to bolster their FUD in efforts to promote the MIC and pointless wars like Ukraine.

While effective with nukes (which is china's anti ship hypersonic tech - really a mirvs), they are simply improved next gen versions of icbm mirvs. These are not in the actual class of hypersonic technology as sold to the west. Mirvs have always been hypersonic, albeit with limited control. Thus the need for decoys.

[–] • 0 pt (edited )

German V-2 rockets were fucking hypersonic. It's meaningless propaganda they are using to justify defense spending and to keep the stupid people supporting their war.

Learn your history: https://www.popsci.com/technology/hypersonic-weapon-milestones/

[–] • 0 pt

Don't get too hung up on the name. They're two different things. Yes, ICBMs also travel at hypersonic speeds, but this is only because they have no atmospheric friction slowing them down. ICBM's trajectory takes them hundreds of miles into space. In atmosphere they're much slower.

Hypersonics travel at many multiples of the speed of sound in atmosphere using boost glide or scramjet. Without having to leave and re-enter the atmosphere they can hit their target much faster and theorhetically fly below defeat systems.

[–] • 0 pt

Read the other comments. German WW2 V-2 rockets were hypersonic, and no, ICBMs are not "slow" in the atmosphere.

[–] • 0 pt

The other comments are just flat wrong.

V2s went 3400 mph. That's short of mach 5 which is hypersonic minimum. Hypersonics are vastly faster then mach 5 with way more precession than any rocket. . ICBMs achieve their speed entirely based off of their fullburn which forces them into space. They couldn't do that in atmosphere. If you give them their full burn they're leaving. If you didn't you're not getting their full speed or having any precission.

Like I said. You're too hung up on the name. Things can travel at hypersonic speeds without being what we classify as hypersonic weapons.

[–] • -1 pt (edited )

No, hypersonics of today are faster in their middle phase, just like ICBMs. They still slow down before impact.

You are spreading DOD FUD.

Read and watch:

https://spectrum.ieee.org/hypersonic-missiles-are-being-hyped

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JWf9Z9I-N3w