In A.I. And Materials, U.S. Lags Behind China On Hypersonic Weapons
Newsy
In July, the U.S. was caught off guard when China successfully launched a rocket carrying a hypersonic glide vehicle, which soared through space.
It's an arms race based on research stemming back to the 1950s. Today, officials say hypersonic weapons are changing the future of warfare. Like ballistic missiles, hypersonic glide vehicles travel at more than five times the speed of sound, but unlike traditional missiles, they can be maneuvered to avoid getting shot down and potentially change targets mid-flight.
In July, the U.S. was caught off guard by the pace of an adversary's advancements when China successfully launched a rocket carrying a hypersonic glide vehicle, which soared through space. Now Beijing is investing more than Washington in a key area — Artificial Intelligence known as A.I.
Nicolas Chaillan was the country's first Chief Software Officer for the Air Force and Space Force. He just left the job last month. And he tells Newsy AI will be used offensively to help gliders avoid missile defense systems and reach their targets. Defensively, they'll track and stop them.