US military-backed hypersonic jet crosses 5 times the speed of sound twice in 3 months
Stratolaunch has successfully performed two reusable test flights of its Talon-A2 drone. The tests take the company a step closer to achieving its goal of launching operational hypersonic weapons tests.
Stratolaunch is backed by the US Department of Defense’s (DoD) Multi-Service Advanced Capability Hypersonic Testbed (MACH-TB) program. This initiative aims to speed up hypersonic weapons test development with the help of private sector partners.
Stratolaunch describes its two hypersonic flight tests as a major advancement in autonomous, reusable hypersonic flight testing. The Talon-A2, its hypersonic uncrewed vehicle, was designed to test hypersonic capabilities.
Stratolaunch’s two test flights took place in December 2024 and March 2025. Both of these achieved speeds higher than Mach 5. For both missions, the Talon-A2 aircraft was released over the Pacific Ocean from its carrier aircraft, the Roc. It then came down for a runway landing at Vandenberg Space Force Base, California.
https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/technology/us-military-backed-hypersonic-jet-crosses-5-times-the-speed-of-sound-twice-in-3-months/ar-AA1G4Zhn?ocid=msedgdhp&pc=HCTS&cvid=30fb9b2d6f114fcc894e3bcc28c1b904&ei=16
