(MENAFN) The UK, in collaboration with the US and private firms, has successfully tested hypersonic missile propulsion, according to a statement from the British Defense Ministry on Sunday. Hypersonic missiles, which travel at speeds at least five times the speed of sound, are extremely difficult to intercept with current air defense systems. Russia has already deployed such weapons during the Ukraine conflict.

The successful test of a prototype cruise missile engine is a step toward arming the UK with hypersonic weapons by 2030, the ministry stated. The project was led by the UK’s Defense Science and Technology Laboratory (Dstl), working with the US Air Force Research Laboratory and industry partners. Over 230 tests of the high-speed air-breathing engine have been conducted, with the aim of developing missiles capable of reaching speeds of several thousand miles per hour.

UK Defense Secretary John Healey emphasized the importance of innovation in the face of increasing global threats. The test is part of the AUKUS military bloc’s hypersonic weapons research program, which includes the US, UK, and Australia. The US had also announced a successful test of its Long Range Hypersonic Weapon in December 2024.

Other countries, including China, India, Iran, and North Korea, have conducted their own hypersonic missile tests in recent years. Russia and China have advanced significantly in the development of these weapons, with Russia deploying its Kinzhal missile in 2017 and China introducing its DF-ZF hypersonic glide vehicle two years later. Russia has used hypersonic missiles like Kinzhal and Zircon in its military operations in Ukraine.

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