France confirmed to have carried out the maiden test flight of a new hypersonic glider on Monday (June 27), after the sightings of intricate trails in the skies sparked concerns and conspiracy theories.
Direction générale de l’armement (DGA), the French procurement and technology agency, spoke of the first launch of the V-MAX glider in a statement issued on Tuesday, reading: “Equipped with many on-board technological innovations, this flight test was an unprecedented technical challenge that prepares the future of our national hypervelocity road map.
“France is one of the only countries in the world to have credible expertise in this field.”
The message added: “Bravo to all our teams who have worked on this flight and are committed every day to this programme.”
The glider, propelled by a rocket during the ongoing launches, is a demonstrator for the Véhicule Manoeuvrant Expérimental programme run by aerospace company ArianeGroup since 2019.
