The Atlantic Council’s Hypersonic Capabilities Task Force released a report on Oct. 9 urging the U.S. to rapidly advance its hypersonic strike capabilities to counter growing threats from China and Russia.
The report titled, “The imperative for hypersonic weapons and counterhypersonic defenses,” warns that China and Russia have developed hundreds of hypersonic weapons, creating a strategic imbalance. These systems are part of broader anti-access and area-denial strategies, including advanced missile defenses, space and cyber tools, and nonkinetic disruptors.
Table of Contents
Hypersonic Capabilities Task Force Recommendations
The task force provided 10 recommendations to Congress and the Defense Department that should help rapidly and efficiently field hypersonic weapons. These are:
- Create a senior program manager reporting to the deputy secretary of defense to oversee all high-speed weapons programs and budgets, including hypersonic offense and defense.
- Ensure stable funding and rapid deployment of first-gen hypersonic weapons, with block upgrades to expand capabilities and reduce costs.
- Prioritize affordable next-gen systems by funding low-cost expendable missiles and reusable hypersonic aircraft.
- Accelerate fielding of hypersonic systems.
- Enhance affordability and production scalability by investing in manufacturing innovation and supply chain resilience.
- Build testing infrastructure such as hypersonic wind tunnels, flight ranges and simulation environments to support rapid development and validation.
- Develop counter-hypersonic defenses like interceptors, sensors and layered defense systems.
- Invest in reusable hypersonic aircraft support through the development of platforms for persistent intelligence, surveillance, reconnaissance, or ISR, and strike missions.
- Strengthen workforce and talent pipelines through STEM education, training programs, and public-private partnerships.
- Enhance international collaboration with allies on joint development, testing and deployment of hypersonic systems.
- Establish a “Golden Dome” missile defense shield.
What Is the Atlantic Council Hypersonics Task Force?
The Atlantic Council’s Hypersonic Capabilities Task Force brings top defense leaders and industry experts together to accelerate U.S. hypersonic weapons development. It is co-chaired by former Air Force Secretary Deborah Lee James and former Army Secretary Ryan McCarthy, a Wash100 Award recipient. Other notable members include Reggie Brothers, former under secretary for science and technology at the Department of Homeland Security, also a Wash100 honoree.
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