USAF Chief Scientist: DOD Needs More Hypersonics Experts, Testing Facilities
Dec. 17, 2020 | By John A. Tirpak
There aren’t enough experts or wind tunnel capacity for all the hypersonics development and testing currently underway, suggesting existing programs might need to be consolidated, the Air Force’s chief scientist said Dec. 17.
Richard J. Joseph asked the head of Air Force hypersonics projects less than three weeks ago what is the top obstacle in accomplishing program objectives, and was told, “People. It’s having enough people who know enough about this to be helpful,†he said during an AFA Mitchell Institute for Aerospace Studies virtual event. To which Joseph said he replied, “Maybe we have too many programs. Maybe these programs need to be consolidated … There are so many programs.â€
The Pentagon has not disclosed how many hypersonics programs are underway, but each service has at least one boost-glide effort in the works. USAF also has air-breathing concepts in development, and there also are efforts at the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency and Missile Defense Agency, and possibly the Space Development Agency as well.
https://www.airforcemag.com/usaf-chief-scientist-dod-needs-more-hypersonics-experts-testing-facilities/
