World Faces a Renewed Hypersonic Weapons Race

Global military tensions, especially in the Middle East, have increased instability. Recent discussions about possible U.S. military action against Iran have highlighted hypersonic missile technology. Iran claims it has used domestically developed hypersonic missiles in battle, which has become a key issue in current strategic assessments.

When talking about hypersonic weapons, 6-7 countries are usually mentioned: the United States, Russia, China, Iran, Turkey, India, and North Korea. However, only Russia and Iran have clearly used such weapons in combat. This contrasts with the fact that the U.S. and China have invested the most money and resources into hypersonic research and development over the past decade.

Russia has actively deployed hypersonic missile systems during the war in Ukraine. Its Kh-47M2 ‘Kinzhal’, ‘Zircon’ missiles, and most recently the ‘Oreshnik’, have created significant challenges for modern air defense systems. These weapons are believed to reach speeds of Mach 9 or greater, making Russia the first country to demonstrate the use of hypersonic weapons in real combat.

Iran announced in mid-2025 that it used its Fattah-1 and Fattah-2 hypersonic missiles during a 12-day conflict with Israel. Iranian sources claim these missiles penetrated the multilayered defense systems of Israel, the U.S., and regional allies, hitting their targets. Estimates suggest a range of about 1,400 kilometers and speeds up to Mach 13–15. Independent verification of these claims is still limited.

China has also made significant strides in hypersonic development. Its DF-17 missile system carries the DF-ZF hypersonic glide vehicle, reportedly capable of speeds between Mach 5 and Mach 10. The YJ-21 anti-ship missile, often called a “carrier killer,” is said to reach Mach 6. Reports also suggest that China has developed the JL-1 hypersonic missile, which is allegedly nuclear-capable, though open-source confirmation is limited.

The United States, viewed as the leading military power, has invested heavily in hypersonic technology. The Common Hypersonic Glide Body (C-HGB) is expected to reach speeds near Mach 17. In December 2024 and April 2025, the U.S. successfully tested the Long-Range Hypersonic Weapon (LRHW), known as “Dark Eagle.” The AGM-183A air-launched hypersonic missile program, developed by Lockheed Martin, has also been revived after earlier setbacks. While deployment is still in its early stages, progress is speeding up.

Turkey revealed its Tayfun (Typhoon) Block-4 hypersonic missile at the IDEF 2025 defense fair. As of 2026, the project has reached important milestones, with mass production set to start this year. The Block-4 is the hypersonic evolution of Turkey’s longest-range ballistic missile family, maintaining speeds over Mach 5 for much of its flight.

India remains largely in the research and development phase. In November 2024, it conducted its first test flight of a long-range hypersonic aerial system. On January 9, 2026, India’s Defence Research and Development Organization (DRDO) successfully conducted a ground test of a full-scale scramjet engine that operated for over 12 minutes. This represented a significant technological milestone.

North Korea has also reported advances in hypersonic technology. In January 2025, it revealed testing of the Hwasong-16B missile with a maneuverable hypersonic glide vehicle, reportedly capable of reaching Mach 12 and a range of 1,500 kilometers. While many of these claims are disputed, Pyongyang continues to highlight its efforts to develop hypersonic capabilities.

Overall, designing and engineering hypersonic missile systems presents one of the most complex challenges in modern military technology. The U.S., Russia, China, Iran, India, Turkey, and North Korea are all making progress in this field. However, Russia has confirmed combat use, while Iran claims battlefield use. This suggests the world may be entering a renewed and intensified hypersonic arms race.

(Information collected from open sources and personal thought)

Author Bio:  

Sherazur Rahman  

Teacher and Writer  

Singra, Natore, Bangladesh