Air Force to Fly Hypersonic Aircraft in Global Strike Test (and weaponize next year)

http://gsn.nti.org/gsn/nw_20110324_8460.php

Air Force to Fly Hypersonic Aircraft in Global Strike Test
Thursday, March 24, 2011

The U.S. Air Force on Thursday intends to test a developmental hypersonic drone aircraft as part of an initiative to provide the United States with the ability to deliver conventional warheads to any location across the globe in just minutes, the Los Angeles Times reported (see GSN, March 3).

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The experimental aircraft has had one flight test to date, in May 2010 when it was released midair from the wing of a B-52 strategic bomber not from from Point Mugu in California. The 14-foot system dropped for roughly four seconds before a booster rocket engine activated and shot the X-51 to an altitude above 70,000 feet. The rocket engine then detached and the X-51 continued its flight for more than two minutes, building to a speed of roughly 3,500 mph.

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"In fiscal year 2012, we will begin weaponizing the X-51 research vehicle," Air Force Deputy Assistant Secretary for Science Stephen Walker informed Congress earlier this month.

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There are concerns, though, that some possible global strike systems could be misconstrued as a nuclear attack, leading another state to launch an atomic response (W.J. Hennigan, Los Angeles Times, March 24).