CSAW
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My understanding at Base Level :
Broadly speaking, the slowest missiles are cruise missiles, which are essentially drone planes.
Though they may initially ride a rocket booster launched from the ground or a submarine, they go on to cruise through the atmosphere like a jet-powered plane.
Ballistic missiles, meanwhile, are essentially suborbital rockets, operating on the principle that what goes up must come down.
When launched, they can climb to altitudes up to 1,200 miles (2,000 kilometers) — much higher than satellites or space stations in low Earth orbit.
They can also reach speeds of up to several miles per second before reentering the atmosphere. However, their ballistic nature also makes their trajectories predictable, and therefore vulnerable to missile defense systems.
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In General broad terms - Hypersonic Missile HSM is a Maneuverable weapon system which flies at least at the speed of Mach 5. Hypersonic weapons travel in the upper atmosphere at about 6,200kmph (3,852mph).
Conventional hypersonic weapons use only kinetic energy i.e. energy derived from motion, to destroy unhardened targets or even underground facilities.
Hypersonic weapons can challenge detection and defence due to their speed, manoeuvrability and low altitude of flight.
HSM Further classified into :
- Hypersonic Glide Vehicles HGV
- Hypersonic Cruise Missile HCM
Very Similar to Maneuverable Re Entry Vehicle MaRV - Difference being HGVs are separated from Rocket Boasters shortly after Launch - While MaRVs can only maneuver just before the impact
HCM are powered by 'Air breathing high speed engines or SCRAM - JETS', Which fly Low and at extremely high speeds
after acquiring their target.
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EXAMPLES : Russian & Chinese developments
Interestingly - The new Chinese HGV Concept is reported as "This weapons system consists of two parts:
-A fractional orbital bombardment system (FOBS)
-A hypersonic glide vehicle (HGV).
Neither FOBSs nor HGVs are new — but the combination of the two is...!
FOBS is the highest-velocity missile deployment system that currently exists. In a fractional orbital bombardment system, the rocket achieves low Earth orbit, which requires more energy than a ballistic missile has. But before completing one full orbit, a FOBS rocket deorbits by turning around and performing a retrograde engine burn. This allows it to slow down so that its trajectory intersects with its target on the ground.
How does China’s hypersonic glide vehicle work?
The new weapons system is an outgrowth of space technologies.
www.astronomy.com
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