The UK plans to equip the Armed Forces with a hypersonic cruise missile by 2030, according to reports. Military chiefs reportedly want the weapon to be designed and built in Britain with a deadline for it to enter service by the end of the decade.
A Government defence source told the Telegraph: “Cutting-edge projects like this are only possible because of the massive new investment the Government has made this week in defence innovation.”
The source added that with Labour refusing to match the Government’s planned investment, continuing the hypersonic “project” would be impossible under Sir Keir Starmer.
They added the military would be forced to cut the hypersonic programme in a move which would “make Putin’s dreams come true”.
Hypersonic missiles travel within the Earth’s atmosphere at speeds greater than five times the speed of sound. They are capable of changing direction and have reportedly been deployed by Russia in Ukraine.
The US has multiple hypersonic weapons programmes and has carried out tests. Britain’s Ministry of Defence has previously announced a hypersonics programme to develop “future hypersonic concepts and technologies”.
In 2022, it was announced Britain, Australia and the US would work together on development of hypersonic and counter-hypersonic capabilities through the countries’ AUKUS security partnership.
No decision has been made on whether Britain’s hypersonic weapon would be launched from land, a fighter jet or a warship, according to The Telegraph, which reported the plans are at an early stage.
It comes after Prime Minister Rishi Sunak this week committed to spend 2.5 percent of gross domestic product on defence by 2030.
The MoD declined to comment in detail on the development of hypersonic missile capability, citing national security concerns.
A spokesperson said: “We are pursuing hypersonic technologies to further develop UK sovereign advanced capabilities. We continue to invest in our equipment to meet current and future threats.”
According to the Telegraph, the MoD has been running a consortium of around 80 companies to come up with possible designs since late last year.
The Hypersonic Technologies & Capability Development Framework Agreement launched in December has been described as a “national mission”.
