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How Pentagon's Dark Eagle Hypersonic Missile Compares to Putin's Oreshnik (1 Viewer)

Rogue Valley

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12.13.24
The Pentagon's newest missile has drawn comparisons with Russia's recently deployed Oreshnik, the two emerging as key contenders in the hypersonic arms race and fueling debates over their capabilities and strategic impact. The United States completed a test launch of its Long-Range Hypersonic Weapon from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida, the Department of Defense confirmed on Thursday. "This test marks an important milestone in the development of one of our most advanced weapons systems," Secretary of the Navy Carlos Del Toro said following the end-to-end flight test, which came after years of delays and setbacks. Dubbed the Dark Eagle, Del Toro said that integrating the new weapon into the U.S. arsenal will help "ensure we remain the world's preeminent fighting force." Dark Eagle is an intermediate-range medium-range missile system being developed for use by the U.S. Army. Land-based and truck-launched, the "transformational" hypersonic weapon will "deliver unmatched capability to meet joint warfighting needs," said Vice Admiral Johnny Wolfe Jr., director of the U.S. Navy's Strategic Systems Programs.

The missile component of the Dark Eagle has reportedly been developed by Lockheed Martin and Northrop Grumman, according to a recent Congressional Research Service report on the weapon. While the Defense Department said the latest test will inform when the Dark Eagle can enter service, it is unclear when this may be. In 2021, officials said they were "very, very confident" the weapon could be fielded by 2023, though no date for its deployment has yet been announced. The Dark Eagle can travel "well over 3,800 miles per hour," the U.S. Army said, as cited in a recent Congressional Research Service report. "They can reach the top of the Earth's atmosphere and remain just beyond the range of air and missile defense systems until they are ready to strike, and by then it's too late to react." The Dark Eagle also boasts a range of 1,725 miles, compared to the Oreshnik's reported 3,418-mile range. However, one Russian military expert was quoted by the pro-Kremlin newspaper Izvestiya as saying that the Oreshnik's actual range likely fell between 1,550 and 3,100 miles. It is unclear whether the Dark Eagle is nuclear-capable like its Russian counterpart. The U.S. Defense Department, meanwhile, said that its hypersonic system's "combination of speed, range, maneuverability, and altitude" make it a near-impossible target to shoot down, enabling "highly survivable and rapid defeat of time-critical and heavily-defended targets."

The Russians and the Chinese have both publicly demonstrated working hypersonic missiles, the Russian version striking the Ukrainian city of Dnipro (Ukraine's 4th largest city) on 21 November 2024.

The US needs to match or surpass enemy capabilities. The US must also consider mating the Dark Eagle with nuclear warheads.

 



The Russians and the Chinese have both publicly demonstrated working hypersonic missiles, the Russian version striking the Ukrainian city of Dnipro (Ukraine's 4th largest city) on 21 November 2024.

The US needs to match or surpass enemy capabilities. The US must also consider mating the Dark Eagle with nuclear warheads.


Because?
 
This book by Dr. Seuss ws published in 1984, "the more things change... ." :unsure: :(
 
Hypersonic missiles are a brand new technology.

Do you folks ever read the topical MIC R&D literature?

Jesus lol.
 



The Russians and the Chinese have both publicly demonstrated working hypersonic missiles, the Russian version striking the Ukrainian city of Dnipro (Ukraine's 4th largest city) on 21 November 2024.

The US needs to match or surpass enemy capabilities. The US must also consider mating the Dark Eagle with nuclear warheads.


Nothing like playing catchup
 
The Oreshnik is basically a ballistic missile.

Hypersonic missiles typically refer to non ballistic missiles that can change direction in flight.
 
Indeed. I can't fathom what his problem with hypersonic missiles could be.

I guess the psychology is that if Russia has hyper-sonic missiles and anti-missile missiles, then in a hypothetical nuclear war between the USA and Russia, Russian missiles could strike the USA with impunity whilst US missiles would be intercepted and destroyed.
 
I guess the psychology is that if Russia has hyper-sonic missiles and anti-missile missiles, then in a hypothetical nuclear war between the USA and Russia, Russian missiles could strike the USA with impunity whilst US missiles would be intercepted and destroyed.

The main advantage of hypersonic missiles is that they can defeat modern air-defense systems.

They travel at 3,800+mph and can be programmed to constantly and randomly change their trajectory on the way to their target.

The Russians are working on a nuclear powered version that could, in theory, remain in-flight indefinitely.
 
Hypersonic missiles are a brand new technology.

Do you folks ever read the topical MIC R&D literature?

Jesus lol.

Hypersonic missiles are not “brand new”. They are a buzz word. The V-2 was a “hypersonic missile”.
 
Hypersonic missiles are not “brand new”. They are a buzz word. The V-2 was a “hypersonic missile”.


Hypersonic missiles in today's common usage indicate a non ballistic missile that can maneuver during flight.

It is the maneuverability that makes them harder to intercept compared to ballistic missiles
 



The Russians and the Chinese have both publicly demonstrated working hypersonic missiles, the Russian version striking the Ukrainian city of Dnipro (Ukraine's 4th largest city) on 21 November 2024.

The Russian version was also intercepted fairly reliably by old hat Patriot systems: https://defence-industry.eu/patriot-air-defence-system-intercepted-25-kinzhal-missiles-in-ukraine/
 
Hypersonic missiles in today's common usage indicate a non ballistic missile that can maneuver during flight.

It is the maneuverability that makes them harder to intercept compared to ballistic missiles

The “hypersonic missile” Russia deployed in Ukraine just last month was a ballistic missile.
 
Yes I know.

Russia hyped it up

Most “hypersonic weapons” are just hyped up ballistic missiles, often with just the barest amount of terminal maneuverability. The US Army’s LRHW is a IRBM with a glider warhead that can kind of maneuver during the terminal phase.
 
Most “hypersonic weapons” are just hyped up ballistic missiles, often with just the barest amount of terminal maneuverability. The US Army’s LRHW is a IRBM with a glider warhead that can kind of maneuver during the terminal phase.


And that is what most consider to be hypersonic weapons compared to ballistic missile
 
And that is what most consider to be hypersonic weapons compared to ballistic missile

They aren’t really that much of an improvement. The maneuverability of SAMs/ABMs is comparable and they actually have external guidance with a lot more capability than the fairly basic threat warnings for hypersonic missile warheads.
 
The main advantage of hypersonic missiles is that they can defeat modern air-defense systems.

They travel at 3,800+mph and can be programmed to constantly and randomly change their trajectory on the way to their target.

The Russians are working on a nuclear powered version that could, in theory, remain in-flight indefinitely.

That's kind of what I said.
 

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