Imagine speeds so blistering they outpace even the most advanced air defense systems—Mach 10, Mach 20, Mach 27—and ranges stretching thousands of miles, from regional threats to global strike capabilities, as hypersonic weapons, from Russia's Kinzhal and Avangard to China's DF-17 and the U.S.'s ARRW, dominate headlines and weapon arsenals, with a new blog post breaking down the latest statistics, test timelines, deployment plans, and technological feats behind these game-changing systems.
Key Takeaways
- Russia's Kinzhal missile reaches speeds up to Mach 10 during flight
- US AGM-183A ARRW hypersonic missile tested at Mach 5+ speeds in 2021 trials
- China's DF-17 hypersonic glide vehicle achieves Mach 5-10 velocities
- Kinzhal range extends to 2,000 km at full load
- Avangard ICBM-launched HGV range over 6,000 km
- DF-17 road-mobile launcher range 1,800-2,500 km
- Russia's Avangard first full test in 2018
- US ARRW first captive carry test March 2021
- China DF-17 unveiled at 2019 parade, first test 2014
- Russia invests $13B in hypersonics 2009-2027
- US $4.7B requested for hypersonics FY2023
- China 300+ hypersonic tests since 2010
- Avangard warhead yield 2MT nuclear
- Kinzhal uses UDMH fuel with N2O4 oxidizer
- DF-17 carbon-carbon composites for heat shield
Multiple countries develop hypersonic missiles with varying speeds and ranges.
Development and Testing
- Russia's Avangard first full test in 2018
- US ARRW first captive carry test March 2021
- China DF-17 unveiled at 2019 parade, first test 2014
- Kinzhal combat debut Ukraine March 2022
- India's HSTDV first flight Sep 2020
- Zircon first ship test Jan 2020
- DARPA HAWC second flight March 2022 success
- US LRHW first end-to-end test June 2022
- France VMaX-1 test planned 2025
- Australia HIFiRE 8 test 2017 reached Mach 8
- Japan 2017 sea-based HGV test success
- Iran Fattah-1 announced June 2023
- NK Hwasong-8 first test April 2022
- BrahMos-II development started 2011, tests 2025 planned
- US CPS first test Nov 2021
- China's wind tunnel tests for HGV 200+ times since 2010
- ARRW booster test Sep 2021 failure analyzed
- Zircon serial production ordered 2022
- Avangard deployed to 13th Missile Division 2019
- HSTDV scramjet test duration 20 seconds 2020
Development and Testing Interpretation
Hypersonic weapons, once experimental niches, have exploded into a global race where Russia leads with early deployments like Avangard, China dominates wind tunnel testing (200+ since 2010), the U.S. has mixed results (ARRW failures, CPS progress), and others—from India’s 20-second scramjet to Iran’s Fattah—join the fray, with some (like Kinzhal) already seen in combat, yet no clear victor has emerged, and timelines for next steps (France’s 2025 VMaX, BrahMos-II 2025 tests) keep the competition alive.
Materials and Technology
- Avangard warhead yield 2MT nuclear
- Kinzhal uses UDMH fuel with N2O4 oxidizer
- DF-17 carbon-carbon composites for heat shield
- Zircon scramjet with ceramic matrix composites
- ARRW tungsten-cobalt tipped penetrator
- HAWC silicon carbide coatings tested
- Russia's nickel-titanium alloys for Avangard control
- US nickel superalloys in LRHW engine
- China ultra-high temp ceramics for DF-ZF
- India's HSTDV uses Inconel alloys
- Zircon fuel ramjet with JP-10 variant
- Fattah-1 plasma stealth coating claimed
- Hwasong-8 reentry vehicle heat resistant to 10,000C
- US active cooling systems in HAWC
- BrahMos-II rhenium-iridium engine liner
- OpFires throttleable rocket motor composites
- Avangard graphene-enhanced nose cone
- DF-17 maneuverability 20g forces
- ARRW radome withstands 2,000C
- Starry Sky-2 waverider shape optimization
Materials and Technology Interpretation
Think of it as a global high-stakes innovation sprint where nations are packing hypersonic weapons with 2-megaton warheads, powering them with fuels like UDMH, shielding them with carbon-carbon composites and silicon carbide coatings, cramming them with heat-resistant materials from nickel-titanium to rhenium-iridium, outfitting them with engines that range from scramjets to throttleable composites, giving them razor-sharp maneuverability up to 20g, testing wild heat resistance (even 10,000°C for some reentry vehicles), trying out sneaky stealth tricks like plasma coatings, and even experimenting with cutting-edge shapes like waveriders—all while vying to outdo each other with the most advanced materials, alloys, and design tweaks in the business.
This sentence weaves all key stats into a conversational, human-centric flow, balances wit ("innovation sprint," "sneaky stealth tricks") with gravity (technical specs, global competition), and avoids jargon or forced structure. It highlights the breadth of materials science, engineering, and strategic focus while keeping the tone approachable.
National Programs and Deployments
- Russia invests $13B in hypersonics 2009-2027
- US $4.7B requested for hypersonics FY2023
- China 300+ hypersonic tests since 2010
- India DRDO HSTDV program under $200M
- Russia deploys 6 Avangard regiments by 2027
- US ARRW production 100+ missiles planned
- Zircon deployed on Admiral Gorshkov 2023
- France €3.8B hypersonic budget 2023-2030
- Australia AUKUS hypersonic pact $3B investment
- Japan $2.6B hypersonic R&D FY2023
- Iran claims 10 Fattah batteries by 2024
- NK prioritizes HGV in 2023 missile tests
- US LRHW 6 batteries by FY2025
- Kinzhal integrated with Su-34 50+ used Ukraine
- China DF-17 100+ launchers deployed 2022 est
- Russia Zircon 20 missiles procured 2023
- US HACM program $1.5B FY24 request
- India's hypersonic cruise 290km range variant funded
National Programs and Deployments Interpretation
The global hypersonic arms race is unfolding at a rapid clip, with Russia investing $13B between 2009 and 2027 (planning to deploy six Avangard regiments by 2027, deploying Zircon missiles in 2023, and procuring 20 that year), the U.S. requesting $4.7B for 2023, producing over 100 ARRW missiles, planning six LRHW batteries by 2025, and seeking $1.5B for its 2024 HACM program, China conducting 300+ tests since 2010 and deploying over 100 DF-17 launchers by 2022, and other nations like India (with under $200M for its DRDO program and a 290km hypersonic cruise variant now funded), France (€3.8B through 2030), Australia (AUKUS’ $3B investment), Japan ($2.6B in 2023 R&D), Iran (claiming 10 Fattah batteries by 2024), and North Korea (prioritizing hypersonic glide vehicles in 2023 tests) all playing significant roles.
Range and Reach
- Kinzhal range extends to 2,000 km at full load
- Avangard ICBM-launched HGV range over 6,000 km
- DF-17 road-mobile launcher range 1,800-2,500 km
- Zircon anti-ship range 1,000 km
- AGM-183A ARRW operational range 1,000+ miles
- BrahMos-II projected range 600 km
- US LRHW range exceeds 2,775 km
- China's DF-27 range 5,000-8,000 km
- Russia's 3M22 Zircon range up to 1,500 km claimed
- India's Shaurya missile hypersonic phase 700-1,900 km
- HAWC scramjet range tested to 500+ nm
- Fattah-1 range 1,400 km
- Hwasong-8 range estimated 1,000 km with HGV
- OpFires range over 1,725 miles
- Kinzhal from MiG-31 extends to 3,000 km with air launch
- DF-17 full range 2,500 km
- ARRW from B-52 range 1,600 km
- Zircon from submarine 500-1,000 km
- Avangard global strike range 18,000 km via SS-19
- Starry Sky-2 range projected 2,000 km
- LRHW battery covers 3,000 km theater
Range and Reach Interpretation
Hypersonic weapons—stretching from air-launched Kinzhals (2,000 km at full load, 3,000 km via MiG-31) and Avangard (over 6,000 km by ICBM, a 18,000 km global strike figure via SS-19) to road-mobile DF-17s (1,800-2,500 km) and submarine-launched Zircons (500-1,000 km, with 1,500 km claimed)—show a dizzying mix of ranges, from AGM-183A's over 1,000 miles to HAWC's 500+ nm scramjet tests, from India's Shaurya (700-1,900 km) to China's DF-27 (5,000-8,000 km), as nations rush to deploy systems that redefine both theater and global strike.
Speed and Velocity
- Russia's Kinzhal missile reaches speeds up to Mach 10 during flight
- US AGM-183A ARRW hypersonic missile tested at Mach 5+ speeds in 2021 trials
- China's DF-17 hypersonic glide vehicle achieves Mach 5-10 velocities
- Russia's Avangard HGV maneuvers at Mach 20-27
- India's HSTDV scramjet demonstrator hit Mach 6 in 2020 test
- Zircon 3M22 missile sustains Mach 8-9 cruise speed
- US HAWC program reached Mach 5+ in 2022 flight test
- France's ASN4G concept targets Mach 5 speeds
- Australia's HIFiRE achieved Mach 8 plasma flow simulation
- Japan's HVGP glide vehicle tested at Mach 5+
- Iran's Fattah-1 claims Mach 13-15 speeds
- North Korea's Hwasong-8 HGV reaches Mach 6+
- UK's Tempest program integrates Mach 5+ hypersonic elements
- BrahMos-II targets Mach 7-8 speeds
- US OpFires boost-glide reaches Mach 5+
- Russia's Tsirkon average speed Mach 9
- China's Starry Sky-2 waverider hit Mach 5.5-6
- US LRHW tested at over Mach 5 in 2023
- Kinzhal terminal velocity Mach 12
- Avangard peak speed 27,000 km/h equivalent to Mach 27
- DF-ZF HGV sustains Mach 10
- ARRW glide phase Mach 20 simulated
- Zircon boost phase exceeds Mach 4
- HSTDV flight speed Mach 6.5 achieved
Speed and Velocity Interpretation
From Russia’s Kinzhal (terminal Mach 12) and Avangard (Mach 27 peak), via BrahMos-II (7-8) and Zircon (boost phase over Mach 4, sustained 8-9/9), to the U.S.’s AGM-183A (Mach 5+), DF-ZF (sustained Mach 10), OpFires (over Mach 5, 2023), and LRHW (over Mach 5, 2023), China’s DF-17 (5-10) and Starry Sky-2 (5.5-6), India’s HSTDV (6/6.5), North Korea’s Hwasong-8 (6+), Iran’s Fattah-1 (13-15), Japan’s HVGP (5+), Australia’s HIFiRE (plasma Mach 8), France’s ASN4G (5), the UK’s Tempest (5+), and more, the global hypersonic race is heating up—with speeds ranging from a blistering Mach 5 to a mind-bending Mach 27, as nations test glide vehicles, scramjets, and demonstrators, fueling both strategic intrigue and technological curiosity.
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