AUKUS supercharging joint hypersonic weapon drive

AUKUS partners are cranking up the hypersonic arms race with a bold new pact, pooling resources, testing and cutting-edge technologies in a bid to outpace rivals like China.

This month, Breaking Defense reported that the US, UK and Australia have signed a new agreement under the AUKUS trilateral security pact to enhance their hypersonic weapons capabilities.

The report says the Hypersonic Flight Test and Experimentation (HyFliTE) Project Arrangement, announced this August, will facilitate using each other’s hypersonic weapons testing facilities and sharing technical information necessary for developing and manufacturing the technologies.

The agreement includes up to six trilateral test flight campaigns by 2028, supported by a US$252 million funding pool. The Breaking Defense report states that Heidi Shyu, the US Department of Defense’s (DOD) senior civilian overseeing research and engineering, emphasized the importance of collaborative efforts in accelerating the development of critical enabling technologies such as high-temperature materials, advanced propulsion systems, and guidance and control.

UK Defense Secretary John Healey highlighted AUKUS partners’ commitment to maintaining a technological edge over adversaries, enhancing collective security and contributing to global peace and stability.

The UK statement also noted the involvement of over 90 suppliers through the Hypersonic Technologies and Capabilities Development Framework, with a commercial headroom of up to $1.27 billion.

The landmark arrangement underscores the strategic importance of hypersonic weapons in modern defense, aiming to keep the AUKUS partners at the forefront of military technology advancements.

Integrating hypersonic weapons into existing