hypersonic speed. The fastest hypersonic aircraft in the world

None created hypersonic vehicle

Creation and development of combat hypersonic aircraft is one of the biggest secrets not only in Russia, but also in the USA, China and other countries of the world. Information about them belongs to the category "top secret" - top secret. In an exclusive interview with Izvestia, the legendary designer of rocket and space technology Herbert Efremov, who has devoted more than 30 years to the creation of hypersonic technology, spoke about what hypersonic vehicles are and what difficulties they face in their development.

- Herbert Alexandrovich, now they are talking a lot about the creation of hypersonic aircraft, but most of the information about them is closed to the general public ...

Let's start with the fact that products that develop hypersonic speed, created a long time ago. For example, these are the usual heads of intercontinental ballistic missiles. Entering the Earth's atmosphere, they develop hypersonic speed. But they are uncontrollable and fly along a certain trajectory. And their interceptions by means of anti-missile defense (ABM) have been demonstrated more than once.

As another example, I will give our strategic cruise missile "Meteorite", which once flew at a crazy speed of Mach 3 - about 1000 m / s. Literally on the verge of hypersound (hypersonic speeds start at Mach 4.5. - Izvestia). But the main task of modern hypersonic aircraft (HZLA) is not just to quickly fly somewhere, but to perform a combat mission with high efficiency in conditions of strong opposition enemy. For example, the Americans have only 65 destroyers of the Arleigh Burke type with anti-missiles at sea. And then there are 22 Ticonderoga-class anti-missile cruisers, 11 aircraft carriers- each of which is based on up to a hundred aircraft capable of creating an almost impenetrable system missile defense.

- You want to say that the speed itself does not solve anything?

Roughly speaking, hypersonic speed is 2 km/s. To overcome 30 km, you need to fly 15 seconds. In the final section of the trajectory, when the hypersonic aircraft approaches the target, the enemy’s anti-missile and air defense systems will be deployed, which the GZLA will detect. And in order to be manufactured by modern air defense and missile defense systems, if they are deployed in positions, it takes a matter of seconds. Therefore, for the effective combat use of GZLA one speed is not enough nothing if you did not provide electronic stealth and invulnerability for air defense / missile defense systems in the final leg of the flight. Here, both speed and the possibilities of radio technical protection of the device by its own stations of radio interference will play a role. Everything is in the complex.

- You say that there must be not only speed - the product must be controllable in order to achieve the goal. Tell us about the possibility of controlling the vehicle in a hypersonic flow.

All hypersonic vehicles fly in plasma. And combat nuclear heads fly in plasma, and everything that went beyond Mach 4, especially 6. An ionized cloud is formed around, and not just a stream with swirls: the molecules are further broken down into charged particles. Ionization affects communication, the passage of radio waves. It is necessary that the control and navigation systems of the GZLA at these flight speeds pierce this plasma.

On the "Meteorite" we had to see the earth's surface with a radar. Navigation was provided by comparison location pictures from a rocket board with a video standard embedded in the system. Otherwise it was impossible. "Caliber" and other cruise missiles can fly like this: I made reconnaissance of the terrain with a radio altimeter - here is a hill, here is a river, here is a valley. But this is possible when flying at an altitude of hundreds of meters. And when you rise to a height of 25 km, you can’t distinguish any hillocks with a radio altimeter. Therefore, we found certain areas on the ground, compared with what was recorded in the video standard, and determined the displacement of the rocket to the left or right, forward, backward, and by how much.

- In many textbooks for dummies, hypersonic flight in the atmosphere is compared to sliding on sandpaper due to the very high resistance. How true is this statement?

A little inaccurate. At hypersound, all sorts of turbulent flows around, eddies and shaking of the apparatus begin. The heat stress regimes change depending on whether the flow is laminar (smooth) on the surface or with disruptions. There are a lot of difficulties. For example, the heat load increases sharply. If you fly at a speed of Mach 3, you have heating of the GZLA skin around 150 degrees in the atmosphere, depending on the altitude. The higher the flight altitude, the less heating. But at the same time, if you fly at a speed twice as high, the heating will be much greater. Therefore, you need to apply new materials.

- And what can be cited as an example of such materials?

Various carbon materials. On nuclear warheads that are on intercontinental "hundreds" (ballistic missiles UR-100 developed by NPO Mashinostroeniya), even fiberglass. With hypersound, the temperature is many thousands of degrees. BUT steel holds only 1200 degrees Celsius. Those are crumbs.

Hypersonic temperatures take away the so-called "sacrificial layer" (a coating layer that is consumed during the flight of an aircraft. - Izvestia). Therefore, the shell of nuclear warheads is designed so that most of it will be "eaten" by hypersound, while the internal filling will be preserved. But GZLA there can be no "sacrificial layer". If you are flying on a controlled product, you must maintain an aerodynamic shape. You can not "blunt" the product so that it burns the toe and edges of the wings, etc. By the way, this was done in American Shuttle, and on our Buran. There, graphite materials were used as thermal protection.

- Is it correct to write in popular science literature that it is for a hypersonic atmospheric apparatus that the design should be like a single monolithic solid body?

Not necessary. They can consist of compartments and different elements.

- That is, the classical scheme of the structure of the rocket is possible?

Of course. Select materials, order new developments, if necessary, check, work out on stands, in flight, correct if something went wrong. It also needs to be able to measure hundreds of telemetry sensors of incredible complexity.

- Which engine is better - solid fuel or liquid for a hypersonic vehicle?

Solid fuel is not suitable here at all, because it can overclock, but it is impossible to fly with it for a long time. Such engines in ballistic missiles such as "Mace", "Topol". In the case of GZLA, this is unacceptable. On our Yakhont missile (anti-ship cruise missile, part of the Bastion complex. - Izvestia) there is only a solid-propellant launch booster. Then it flies on a liquid ramjet engine.

There are attempts to make a ramjet engine with an internal content of solid fuel, which is smeared over the combustion chamber. But it is also not enough for long ranges.

For liquid fuels, you can make the tank smaller, of any shape. One of the Meteorites flew with tanks in the wings. It was tested because we had to achieve a range of 4-4.5 thousand km. And he flew on an air-jet engine that ran on liquid fuel.

- What is the difference between an air-jet engine and a liquid-propellant engine?

A liquid-propellant jet engine contains the oxidizer and fuel in separate tanks, which are mixed in the combustion chamber. The jet engine is powered by one fuel: kerosene, decilin or bicillin. The oxidizing agent is the incoming oxygen of the air. Bicilin (fuel obtained from vacuum gas oil using hydrogenation processes. - Izvestia) was developed by our order for Meteorite. This liquid fuel has very high density, allowing you to make a tank of a smaller volume.

- Photographs of hypersonic aircraft with a jet engine are known. They all have an interesting shape: not streamlined, but rather angular and square. Why?

You are probably talking about the X-90, or, as it is called in the West, AS-X-21 Koala(the first Soviet experimental GZLA. - Izvestia). Well, yes, it's a clumsy bear. Ahead are the so-called "boards", "wedges" (structural elements with sharp corners, ledges. - "Izvestia"). All in order to make the air flow entering the engine acceptable for combustion and normal combustion of fuel. To do this, we create the so-called shock waves (a sharp increase in pressure, density, temperature of the gas and a decrease in its speed when the supersonic flow meets some kind of obstacle. - Izvestia). Jumps are formed just on the "boards" and "wedges" - those structural elements that dampen the air speed.

On the way to the engine, there may be a second shock, a third. The whole nuance is that air should not enter the combustion chamber at the same speed, with which the GZLA flies. It must be reduced. And very strongly. Preferably to subsonic values, for which everything has been worked out, checked and tested. But this is precisely the problem that the creators of GZLA are trying to solve and not decided in 65 years.

As soon as you jump past Mach 4.5, in such a high-speed movement, air particles slip into the engines very quickly. And you have to “reduce” the atomized fuel and the oxidizer - atmospheric oxygen - to each other. This interaction should be with a high completeness of fuel combustion. Interaction should not be disrupted by some fluctuations, an extra breath inside. How to do this, no one has yet figured out.

- Is it possible to create a GZLA for civilian needs, for the transportation of passengers and cargo?

Maybe. At one of the Paris air shows, an aircraft developed by the French together with the British was shown. The turbojet engine lifts it to a height, and then the car accelerates to about Mach 2. Then the ramjet engines are opened, which bring the aircraft to a speed of Mach 3.5 or 4. And then it flies at an altitude of 30 kilometers somewhere from New York to Japan. Before landing, the reverse mode is activated: the car descends, switches to a turbojet engine, like a normal plane, enters the atmosphere and lands. Hydrogen is considered as a fuel, as the most high-calorie substance.

- Currently, Russia and the United States are most actively developing hypersonic aircraft. Can you evaluate the successes of our opponents?

As for the ratings, I can say - let the guys work. For 65 years, they have not really done anything. At speeds from 4.5 to 6 Machs, there is not a single GZLA actually made.

The latest hypersonic aircraft Yu-71 (Yu-71)

Hypersonic weapons and hyperspeed: how physics prevents the military from making the rocket of their dreams

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The desire to create the fastest possible military equipment is a key goal for any state, because only high speeds are a guarantee of overcoming air defenses. For this reason, hypersonic weapons technologies were actively mastered even in Nazi Germany. Later they migrated to the allies, who continued their outstanding developments.

However, only in recent decades has technology made it possible to take a qualitative step forward. For Russia, this is expressed in the secret project Yu-71 - a hypersonic aircraft.

The history of the creation of hypersonic weapons

Hypersonic weapons reached their maximum development during the Cold War. Like many outstanding military projects of mankind, fundamentally new technologies were created in the conditions of competition between the USA and the USSR. The first attempts to surpass the speed of sound (namely, to overcome the barrier of 1234.8 km / h) did not lead to serious achievements. But it should also be noted that the tasks set were almost impossible even for such powerful powers.

Not much is known about these projects, but some information has reached that, for example, in the USSR, the designers were faced with the task of doing:

• an aircraft that could develop a speed of at least 7000 km / h;
• reliable design to use the technique many times;
• controlled aircraft to make it as difficult as possible to detect and eliminate it;
• finally, surpass a similar development of the states - X-20 Dyna Soar.

But during the tests, it became clear that it was impossible to even take to the air with close speeds and the necessary design, and the Soviet Union closed the project.

Fortunately for the leadership of the USSR, the Americans also did not achieve an advance: only a few times the hypersonic aircraft rose to suborbital altitude, but in most situations it lost control and crashed.

The development of supersonic technology in the 21st century

Hypersonic technologies are closely intertwined in two different directions: creating ballistic and guided missiles or designing a full-fledged aircraft.

And if missiles exceeding the speed of sound by several times are already being successfully created and even participate in hostilities, then aircraft require truly ingenious design solutions. The main snag is that overloads at high speeds during maneuvers are measured not even in tens, but in hundreds of g. Planning such loads and ensuring the reliability of equipment is a rather difficult task.

Technology does not stand still, therefore, in the 21st century, the 4202 project was implemented in Russia, which is often referred to as the Yu-71 - a hypersonic aircraft.

It grew out of the development of hypersonic technology in rockets.

Very little is known about the development, because such work was and is being carried out not only in the USSR, and then in Russia, but also in the USA, as well as China, Britain, and France. The desire of the world's leading powers to keep complex and expensive discoveries a secret is understandable, since serious military superiority will be achieved with hypersonic technology.

It is known that the first successes were achieved in the USSR, in 1991. Then the Kholod aircraft successfully took off into the air. The device was launched on the basis of the S-200 anti-aircraft missile system, using the 5B28 rocket. The engineers managed to carry out a controlled flight and develop a speed of 1900 km / h. After that, the possibilities only expanded, but in 1998 the tests were stopped. The reason turned out to be prosaic - the crisis that broke out in the country.

Given the high secrecy of information, there are not so many reliable sources.

However, the foreign press provides such information that in 20-2010. Russia has again begun to develop hypersonic projects. The tasks were set as follows:

1. To create ballistic and guided missiles at a faster pace for guaranteed overcoming of any known means of interception before reaching the target.
2. Develop missile systems with missile speeds up to 13 times the speed of sound.
3. Conduct tests of an aircraft with nuclear and non-nuclear weapons delivery systems.

The main reason for the development of such weapons was based on the fact that a similar project of the Americans, Prompt Global Strike, was developed to be based on ships and aircraft in order to be guaranteed to hit any point on the planet in 1 hour. Naturally, Russia should have responded with the same weapons, because no country has the means of interception capable of working on targets at such a high speed.

The most famous facts about Russia's secret weapon - Yu-71

Already at the start of the work, the ideas of the 4202 project were seriously ahead of their time, since the brilliant Gleb Lozino-Lozinsky was the chief designer. But they were able to create a full-fledged aircraft much later, already in Russia.

According to foreign sources, the tests of the glider, namely the Yu-71 aircraft, did not take place at the beginning of 2015, as the Russian military leadership says. There is evidence that already in 2004 a supposedly new hypersonic glider was launched at Baikonur. This version is confirmed by the fact that in 2012, at one of the country's defense enterprises in the city of Reutov, New Year's greetings were announced, where employees were announced that the 4202 project was the key one for the near future.

In general, the Russian Yu-71 supersonic aircraft is extremely difficult to shoot down and even track. Therefore, a lot of information is hidden from the public. According to reports, Yu-71 has the following characteristics:

1. The hypersonic aircraft is launched from near-Earth orbit. It is delivered there by UR-100N UTTKh missiles. At the level of opinions, it is said that in the future the latest Sarmat missile of the RS-28 ICBM will be responsible for the delivery.
2. The maximum recorded speed of Yu-71 is estimated at 11,200 km/h. Experts say that the device is able to maneuver on the final part of the trajectory. But even without this ability, it remains out of reach for air defense and missile defense systems due to its high speed. According to the assurances of the Russian military, the Yu-71 can maneuver in altitude and heading from the moment it starts in near-Earth orbit.
3. Yu-71 can go into space, which makes it even more invisible to most detection tools.
4. It is believed that from the moment of launch, the glider can fly to New York in 40 minutes, carrying nuclear warheads on board.
5. Hypersonic modules are distinguished by a very large mass, so the military leadership is considering the possibility of delivering several Yu-71s to low-Earth orbit at once with more powerful missiles than are currently used.
6. The glider has 3 compartments with various equipment and weapons.
7. There is an opinion that Russia is starting active production of the Yu-71 project. So, presumably, the Strela software near Orenburg is being completely technically rebuilt to assemble hypersonic weapons.

The only information that is called accurate is the speed developed by the aircraft and the ability to maneuver in flight.

The rest of the information is kept secret. But it is already clear that Russia is ready to adequately respond to hypersonic race.

Yu-71 competitors

Hypersonic technologies are the subject of work of the leading world powers. Some have achieved serious achievements, for some the costs turned out to be large or it was not possible to pull out extremely technological projects. Russia's main competitors today are the United States and China.

Competitors	Description
1.Glider Advanced Hypersonic Weapon (USA).	The AHW aircraft became part of the Prompt Global Strike program. The technical aspects are hidden under seven seals. It is only known that the glider develops up to Mach 8 of speed (10,000 km / h). His first tests were recognized as successful, and during the second, the launch vehicle exploded. So we can confidently say that work overseas has not yet been completed.
2. Glider WU-14 (PRC).	Great aspirations of the PRC are aimed at creating hypersonic ballistic and cruise missiles. But the WU-14 glider is also being developed. It is known that it develops up to Mach 10 (a little more than 12,000 km / h). Some sources also provide information that the Chinese are working on their own ramjet hypersonic engine specifically for the direct launch of the glider from aircraft.

Humanity in the 21st century has come close to hypersonic weapons.

If information leaks are to be believed, then Russia may be the first to announce the final stage, namely the adoption of such technologies. This will bring a tangible advantage in military terms.

Prospects for the Russian Yu-71

According to some reports, the Yu-71 has been tested and is being prepared for serial production. Although the project is secret, a number of sources indicate that by 2025 Russia will have 40 such gliders with nuclear warheads.

Even though Yu-71 launches are expensive, the device can be used for various purposes. The ability to deliver a warhead to any point on the planet in the shortest possible time is also called, and, for example, the transportation of food and supplies.

Due to its maneuverability, the Yu-71 can be used as an attack aircraft or bomber deep behind enemy lines.

The Yu-71 will most likely be located near Orenburg, in the rear, since the most vulnerable part of the flight is the launch and reaching the orbit. After separating the glider from the rocket, it becomes impossible to track its movement and, moreover, shoot it down. modern systems missile defense or air defense.

Video

It is too early to talk about an arms race in this area - today it is a technology race. Hypersonic projects have not yet gone beyond the scope of R&D: so far, mostly demonstrators are flying. Their levels of technological readiness on the DARPA scale are mainly in the fourth or sixth position (on a ten-point scale).

However, it is not necessary to talk about hypersound as some kind of technical novelty. Warheads of ICBMs enter the atmosphere on hypersonic, descent vehicles with astronauts, space shuttles are also hypersonic. But flying at hypersonic speeds while descending from orbit is a necessary necessity, and it does not last long. We will talk about aircraft for which hypersound is a regular mode of use, and without it they will not be able to show their superiority and show their capabilities and power.

The SR-72 is a promising American aircraft that can become a functional analogue of the legendary SR-71, a supersonic and highly maneuverable reconnaissance aircraft. The main difference from its predecessor is the absence of a pilot in the cockpit and hypersonic speed.

Orbital strike

We will talk about hypersonic maneuvering guided objects - maneuvering warheads of ICBMs, hypersonic cruise missiles, hypersonic UAVs. What, in fact, do we mean by hypersonic aircraft? First of all, we have in mind the following characteristics: flight speed - 5-10 M (6150-12 300 km / h) and higher, covered operating altitude range - 25-140 km. One of the most attractive qualities of hypersonic vehicles is the impossibility of reliable tracking by air defense systems, since the object flies in a plasma cloud that is opaque to radars. It is also worth noting the high maneuverability and the minimum reaction time to defeat. For example, it takes only an hour for a hypersonic vehicle to hit its chosen target after leaving orbit.

Projects of hypersonic devices have been developed more than once and continue to be developed in our country. One can recall the Tu-130 (6 M), the Ajax aircraft (8-10 M), projects of high-altitude-speed hypersonic aircraft of the OKB im. Mikoyan on hydrocarbon fuel in different options application and hypersonic aircraft(6 M) on two types of fuel - hydrogen for high flight speeds and kerosene for smaller ones.

Cosmic "spiral" A hypersonic booster aircraft developed under the Spiral project. It was also assumed that the system would include a military orbital aircraft with a rocket booster.

The project of the OKB im. Mikoyan "Spiral", in which the returning aerospace hypersonic aircraft was launched into orbit by a hypersonic booster aircraft, and after completing combat missions in orbit, returned to the atmosphere, performed maneuvers in it also at hypersonic speeds. The developments under the Spiral project were used in the projects of the BOR and the Buran space shuttle. There is officially unconfirmed information about the Aurora hypersonic aircraft created in the USA. Everyone has heard of him, but no one has ever seen him.

"Zircon" for the fleet

On March 17, 2016, it became known that Russia officially began testing the Zircon hypersonic anti-ship cruise missile (ASC). The latest projectile will be armed with fifth-generation nuclear submarines (Husky), it will also be received by surface ships and, of course, the flagship of the Russian fleet, Peter the Great. A speed of 5–6 M and a range of at least 400 km (a missile will cover this distance in four minutes) will significantly complicate the application of countermeasures. It is known that the rocket will use the new Detsilin-M fuel, which increases the flight range by 300 km. The developer of the Zircon anti-ship missiles is NPO Mashinostroeniya, which is part of the Tactical Missiles Corporation. The appearance of a serial rocket can be expected by 2020. At the same time, it should be taken into account that Russia has rich experience in creating high-speed anti-ship cruise missiles, such as the serial P-700 Granit anti-ship missile (2.5 M), the serial P-270 Moskit anti-ship missile (2.8 M), on which will be replaced by the new Zircon anti-ship missiles.

The unmanned hypersonic gliding aircraft, developed at the Tupolev Design Bureau in the late 1950s, was supposed to be the last stage of the missile strike system.

Cunning Warhead

The first information about the launch of the Yu-71 product (as it is designated in the West) into low-Earth orbit by the RS-18 Stiletto rocket and its return to the atmosphere appeared in February 2015. The launch was made from the position area of ​​​​the Dombrovsky formation by the 13th missile division of the Strategic Missile Forces (Orenburg region). It is also reported that by 2025 the division will receive 24 Yu-71 products to equip the already new Sarmat missiles. The product Yu-71 within the framework of project 4202 was also created by NPO Mashinostroeniya since 2009.

The item is a super-maneuverable missile warhead capable of gliding at a speed of 11,000 km/h. It can go into near space and from there hit targets, as well as carry a nuclear charge and be equipped with an electronic warfare system. At the time of entry "dive" into the atmosphere, the speed can be 5000 m / s (18,000 km / h) and for this reason the Yu-71 has protection against overheating and overloads, and can easily change the direction of flight and does not collapse.

The length of the aircraft was to be 8 m, wingspan - 2.8 m.

The Yu-71 product, having high maneuverability at hypersonic speeds in altitude and heading and flying along a non-ballistic trajectory, becomes unattainable for any air defense system. In addition, the warhead is controllable, thanks to which it has a very high hitting accuracy: this will also allow it to be used in a non-nuclear high-precision version. It is known that several launches were made during 2011-2015. It is believed that the Yu-71 product will be put into service in 2025, and it will be equipped with the Sarmat ICBM.

Climb up

Of the projects of the past, the X-90 rocket, which was developed by the Raduga Design Bureau, can be noted. The project dates back to 1971, it was closed in a difficult year for the country in 1992, although the tests showed good results. The rocket was repeatedly demonstrated at the MAKS aerospace show. A few years later, the project was revived: the rocket received a speed of 4-5 Mach and a range of 3,500 km with a launch from a Tu-160 carrier. The demonstration flight took place in 2004. It was supposed to arm the rocket with two detachable warheads placed on the sides of the fuselage, but the projectile never entered service.

US-developed Boeing X-51A Waverider hypersonic missile

The RVV-BD hypersonic missile was developed by the Vympel Design Bureau named after I.I. Toropova. It continues the line of K-37, K-37M missiles, which are in service with the MiG-31 and MiG-31BM. The RVV-BD missile will also arm hypersonic interceptors of the PAK DP project. According to the statement of the head of KTRV Boris Viktorovich Obnosov, made at MAKS 2015, the rocket began to be mass-produced and its first batches will roll off the assembly line as early as 2016. The missile weighs 510 kg, has a high-explosive fragmentation warhead and will hit targets at ranges of 200 km in a wide range of altitudes. A dual-mode solid propellant rocket engine allows it to develop a hypersonic speed of 6 M.

Hypersound of the Middle Kingdom

In the fall of 2015, the Pentagon reported, and this was confirmed by Beijing, that China had successfully tested the DF-ZF Yu-14 (WU-14) hypersonic maneuvering aircraft, which was launched from the Wuzhai test site. Yu-14 separated from the carrier "at the edge of the atmosphere", and then planned for a target located several thousand kilometers in western China. The flight of the DF-ZF was monitored by American intelligence services, and according to them, the device maneuvered at a speed of 5 Mach, although its speed could potentially reach 10 Mach. protection against kinetic heating. PRC representatives also reported that the Yu-14 is capable of breaking through the US air defense system and delivering a global nuclear strike.

SR-71 Today, this aircraft, long out of service, occupies a prominent place in the history of aviation. It is being replaced by hypersound.

America Projects

Currently, various hypersonic aircraft are "in work" in the United States, which are undergoing flight tests with varying degrees of success. Work on them began in the early 2000s, and today they are at different levels of technological readiness. Boeing, the developer of the X-51A hypersonic vehicle, recently announced that the X-51A would be put into service as early as 2017.

Among the ongoing projects, the United States has: the AHW (Advanced Hypersonic Weapon) hypersonic maneuvering warhead project, the Falcon HTV-2 (Hyper-Sonic Technology Vehicle) hypersonic aircraft launched using ICBMs, the Kh-43 Hyper-X hypersonic aircraft, a prototype hypersonic cruise missile X-51A Waverider of the Boeing company, equipped with a hypersonic ramjet with supersonic combustion. It is also known that in the United States, work is underway on the SR-72 hypersonic UAV from Lockheed Martin, which only in March 2016 officially announced its work on this product.

The first mention of the SR-72 drone dates back to 2013, when Lockheed Martin announced that the SR-72 hypersonic UAV would be developing to replace the SR-71 reconnaissance aircraft. It will fly at a speed of 6400 km/h at operating altitudes of 50-80 km up to suborbital, will have a dual-circuit propulsion system with a common air intake and a nozzle apparatus based on a turbojet engine for acceleration from a speed of 3 M and a hypersonic ramjet engine with supersonic combustion for flying at speeds over 3 M. SR-72 will perform reconnaissance missions, as well as strike with high-precision air-to-surface weapons in the form of light rockets without an engine - they will not need it, since a good starting hypersonic speed is already available.

The problematic issues of SR-72 experts include the choice of materials and skin design that can withstand large thermal loads from kinetic heating at temperatures of 2000 ° C and above. It will also be necessary to solve the problem of separating weapons from internal compartments at a hypersonic flight speed of 5-6 Mach and to exclude cases of loss of communication, which were repeatedly observed during tests of the HTV-2 object. Lockheed Martin Corporation said that the dimension of the SR-72 will be comparable to the dimension of the SR-71 - in particular, the length of the SR-72 will be 30 m. The SR-72 is expected to enter service in 2030.

Hypersonic speed – this is a flight from speed from FOUR SPEED sound and more. Among aviation specialists most often use the name not "sound speed", a "Mach". This name came from Austrian surnames scientist physicist Ernst Mach Ernst Mach ), who researched aerodynamic processes accompanying supersonic body movement. In this way, 1Max - this is ONE speed of sound. Respectively hypersonic speed - this is FOUR Mach and more. AT 1987 year December 7th in Washington heads of state USSR and USA, Mikhail Gorbachev and Ronald Reagan signed treaty on liquidation nuclear missiles middle range "Pioneer" and "Pershing-2". As a result of this event, stop development Soviet strategic winged rockets "X-90", which had hypersonic speed flight. Rocket Makers X-90 only received permission to ONE test flight. Given successful ordeal could lead to a grandiose re-equipment of the Soviet Air Force aircraft with hypersonic speed flights that could provide superiority in USSR air.

AT 1943 year american airline « Bell» started to create plane, which should have overcome the speed of sound. Bullet, shot from rifles, flies faster than the speed of sound so over fuselage shape new aircraft for a long time didn't think. His design assumed large margin of safety. In some places sheathing exceeded thickness ONE centimeter. Pulka turned out heavy. O independent takeoff couldn't be and speech. Into the sky new the plane took off from help bomber B-29. American aircraft designed for overcome the speed of sound, was named "X-1" ( see article "Unknown aircraft"). Fuselage shape X-1 could be suitable for hypersonic speed flight.

Civil test pilot Chalmers Goodlin set condition - premium for overcoming speed of sound 150 000 dollars ! Then salary captain USAF was 283 dollar per month. Young captain aged 24th years Chuck Yeager, combat pilot officer ass, knocked down 19 fascist planes, 5 of them in one fight, decided that it He will overcome the speed of sound. No one knew that during the flight to breaking the speed of sound he had broken two ribs, and moved badly right hand. This happened as a result fall With horses during walks With wife the day before. Chuck Yeager understood that it was his extreme flight before hospital and kept quiet to fly NOT cancelled. overcoming speed of sound will become the first stage on the way to hypersonic speed flight .

AT 1947 year October 14th in Tuesday took to the skies from a secret airbase American strategic bomber B-29 with attached to bomb bay by plane . On the height about 7 km separated from it manned machine at the time unusual forms. Through A couple of minutes there was a deafening cotton, as if shot from multiple guns at the same time but it was NOT catastrophe. On this day American test pilot Charles Elwood Yeager, better known as Chuck Yeager ( Chuck Yeager ) or Chuck Yeager, first in human history overcame the SPEED of SOUND on the EXPERIMENTAL airplane X-1. Supersonic airplane X-1 had the maximum flight speed - 1 556 km/h and this direct wing, practical ceiling X-1 - 13 115 meters, maximum engine thrust - 2 500 kgf. landed X-1 myself, in planning mode. Later on the same airbase, better known as "Zone 51", located at the bottom dried salty lakes Groom ( Groom ), on the south state Nevada were carried out tests devices with hypersonic speed flight .

After being accepted into USA doctrine nuclear war number strategic bombers in USA increased in four times. The bombers were supposed to protect thousands of jet fighters F-80 and F-82. Through one year after Chuck Yeager overcame the speed of sound and Soviet test pilot Ivan Evgrafovich Fedorov on a fighter "La-176".

The first Soviet cruise missile "Storm" on the launch pad during the launch

Sweep wings La-176 was 45 degrees, maximum engine thrust - 2 700 kgf, practical ceiling - 15 000 m, maximum speed - 1 105 km/h At that moment limit for manned aircraft seemed 2-3 speeds of sound. But on secret polygon USSR even then, equipment was being tested, possessing hypersonic speed flight. It was a rocket "R-1" with maximum speed flight 1 465 m/s and range flight 270 km . And trials R-1 carried out at the landfill "Kapustin Yar" in Astrakhan areas . Future aircraft moving with hypersonic speed, required not only new engines and new materials, but also new fuel. secret fuel for ballistic rockets R-1 served ethanol the highest category of cleaning.

The first Soviet cruise missile "Storm" in flight

BALLISTIC rocket R-1 developed under the guidance Sergei Pavlovich Korolev. In fairness, let's say that in development R-1 also took an active part part of German missile specialists, who moved to USSR after World War II war. Rocket R-1 became Starting point in developing INTERCONTINENTAL BALLISTIC missiles that had hypersonic speed and should have been absolutely INVULNERABLE means delivery nuclear weapons. The first Artificial Earth Satellite and first flight human in space turned out already due to appearance intercontinental ballistic missiles.

American space shuttle "Space Shuttle" while moving to the launch complex

The first successful launch Soviet ballistic rockets R-1 was carried out October 10, 1948 of the year. For achievement military balance With USA rockets were needed range flight NOT hundreds, a thousands kilometers. Tests missiles Korolev walked successfully, and each subsequent model acquired more and more hypersonic speed flight and more range flight. The item on the agenda was replacement missile fuel. Ethanol as a fuel no longer fit due to its insufficient burning rate and because of its insufficient heat capacity, that is amount of energy. The point is that in order to fly hypersonic speeds as fuel only fit HYDROGEN. Neither on the what another chemical element So fast fly it is forbidden! Hydrogen has a great burning rate and big heat capacity, that is high combustion temperature, while having minimum possible volume hydrogen fuel. Accordingly, when applied HYDROGEN it turns out maximum thrust engine . Besides all this HYDROGEN fuel is ABSOLUTELY ENVIRONMENTALLY FRIENDLY fuel !!! S.P. Korolev thought it was it's fuel will solve the problem of movement in near-Earth space on hypersonic speeds flight.

American space shuttle "Space Shuttle" during operation in orbit

However, there was another solution cosmic speeds. It was proposed by famous academics Mikhail Kuzmich Yangel and Vladimir Nikolaevich Chelomey. It was liquid ammonia odor and unlike hydrogen was simple and very inexpensive in production. But when Korolev found out what it is, he came to HORROR! This beautiful rocket fuel was called HEPTIL. He ended up in SIX TIMES MORE POISONOUS PRUSIAN ACID and according to the degree of danger corresponded BATTLE toxic substances ZARIN and "PHOSGENE"! However USSR government decided that rocket weapons are more important possible consequences and that it should be created at any price. Subsequently on fuel heptile rockets flew Yangel and Chelomeya.

AT 1954 year, Soviet intelligence received a secret message from a resident USA, thanks to which and USSR work has begun on the creation aviation With hypersonic speed flight. AT USA this project is called "Navahoo". Through two months after the secret messages came out decree Soviet governments about the beginning of the creation strategic WINGED rockets. AT USSR the development of such a rocket was entrusted Design Bureau S.A. Lavochkin ( see article "Semyon Alekseevich Lavochkin"). The project was named "Storm". Total through THREE of the year "Storm" began to pass tests at the training ground "Kapustin Yar"!!! Layout "Storms" corresponded to modern American reusable space ship "Space Shuttle". At the time of testing "Storms" it became known that American project Navajo is CLOSED. This most likely happened because american designers at that moment failed create the necessary engines.

"Storm" was not designed for hypersonic speed flight, but for a little slower speed, on the THREE and HALF the speed of sound. This was due to the fact that at that time they had not yet created materials, who would endure SHELL HEATING corresponding hypersonic speed. Also onboard appliances should have kept performance at large heating temperature. While creating "Storms" just yet started develop materials surviving data temperature heating conditions.

At the moment THREE successful launches winged rockets "Storm", possessing TO hypersonic speed, rockets Koroleva, "R-7", have already been launched into Earth orbit the first artificial earth satellite and the first living creature - a mongrel nicknamed "Laika". At this time the leader USSR N.S. Khrushchev in an interview for Western press during public hearing said that the rocket R-7 can be installed NUCLEAR charge and hit ANY GOAL within the territory of USA. From now on BASIC rocket and space defense USSR become intercontinental ballistic rockets. Cruise missile "Storm" made to fulfill the same most tasks, but then USSR government considered that to drag both these programs, at the same time, will be too expensive and "Storm" CLOSED ???

AT late 1950s and all 1960s year and in USA and in USSR were carried out experiments to create perspective aviation technology that has hypersonic speed flight. But in dense layers atmosphere aircraft too overheated, and in some places even melted therefore achievement hypersonic speed in ATMOSPHERE again and again postponed for an unknown time . AT USA exists program creation experimental aircraft called "X", with the help of which the flight to hypersonic speeds. American the military placed great hope on the experimental airplane "X-31", but November 15, 1967 years later 10 seconds of flight hypersonic speed X-31 exploded. Thereafter experimental aircraft "X" was suspended but only on for a while. So in mid 1970s years on American experimental airplane "X-15" on the height near 100 km has been reached hypersonic speed flight equal to 11 speeds of sound (3.7 km/s )!!!

AT mid 1960s years and USA and USSR regardless from each other and simultaneously already started creating serial aircraft flying from cruising speed Mach THREE! Flight from THREE speeds of sound in ATMOSPHERE very complex a task ! As a result KB Kelly Johnson at the office Lockheed and Design Bureau of A.I. Mikoyan on the Mige ( see article "Artyom Ivanovich Mikoyan") created two aviation masterpiece technology. Americans - strategic scout "SR-71″blackbird ( see article « SR-71"). Russians the best in the world fighter-interceptor "MiG-25" ( see article "MiG-25"). Outside SR-71 It has the black color Not because of black paints, but because of FERRITE coverage, which is very efficiently removes heat. Later SR-71 was brought to hypersonic speed flight 4 800 km/h MiG-25 successfully used during the war Israel With Egypt as high-altitude scout. The entire flight MiG-25 above Israel occupied TWO MINUTES!!! Israeli air defense claim that MiG-25 has THREE AND A HALF speeds of sound (4,410 km/h or 1 225 m/s )!

Superiority in the air can provide and aerospace aviation. As a result of work on this topic, space ships REUSABLE use American Space Shuttle and Soviet "Buran" ( see article "Buran spaceship"). At landing to the ground space ships reusable uses are included in atmosphere With First cosmic speed, 7,9 km/s – it's in 23,9 times more speed of sound. For protection from overheating upon entering atmosphere, reusable space ships outside are covered with a special CERAMIC tiles. It is clear that even with NOT very big violation this ceramic coating on the hypersonic speed will happen catastrophe.

After fruitless searches universal funds protection from overheating struggle for championship in the air moved to another - super low height. WINGED missiles have been switched to height flight about 50 meters, on BEFORE hypersonic speeds flight, about 850 km/h with technology BENDING THE RELIEF terrain. american winged the rocket was named "Tomahawk" ( Tomahawk ), a Soviet analogue "X-55". Detection of the winged radar missiles difficult because the rocket itself, thanks to the latest homing system It has small size and correspondingly small reflective area. Also defeat cruise missile difficult because of active, unpredictable maneuvering During the flight. Creation Soviet cruise missile Kh-55 was instructed KB "Rainbow", which was led by Igor Sergeevich Seleznev.

However calculations showed that almost complete winged invulnerability missiles can only provide hypersonic speed flight to five six times more speed of sound (5-6 Makhov) , which corresponds, speed about two km/s At the very first trials new technology, the designers again faced the same overheating problem. Upon reaching the specified hypersonic speed flight surface rockets heated up to almost 1 000 degrees Celsius and the first to fail control antennas. Then Igor Seleznev went to Leningrad to the enterprise "Leninist", where they made onboard radio electronics. The specialists gave NOT comforting conclusion. Do managed rocket flying to hypersonic speed in dense layers atmosphere impossible.

But one of the employees research institute, namely, he proposed the original idea. Why kerosene, on board winged missiles as fuel not to be used as COOLER homing heads . Were held experiments to create a system cooling using the onboard fuel, kerosene. In the course of work Freinstadt came to the conclusion that kerosene does NOT have enough energy to fly to hypersonic speed and that the necessary fuel for hypersonic speed is HYDROGEN. But Freinstadt offered to receive hydrogen from kerosene directly on board rockets. Concept such engine was named Ajax.

The Soviet reusable spacecraft "Buran" The heat-insulating coating of the ship, consisting of special CERAMIC tiles, is clearly visible

At that time this idea seemed too fantastic. As a result, on armament was accepted winged rocket with subsonic speed flight X-55. But even such a rocket has become outstanding scientific and technological achievement. Brief technical winged characteristics rockets X-55: length — 5,88 m; case diameter — 0,514 m; wingspan — 3,1 m; starting weight — 1195 kg; range of flight — 2 500 km; flight speed — 770 km/h ( 214 m/s); flight altitude from 40 before 110 m; warhead mass — 410 kg; warhead power — 200 kt; hitting accuracy up to 100 m. V 1983 year after adoption winged rockets Kh-55 in Ministry of Defense question was raised about curtailment of work to create engine providing hypersonic speed flight. But it is in this year topic hypersonic aircraft has become more and more flicker in reports Soviet intelligence.

Soviet space shuttle "Buran" in orbit

Within the framework of the program "Star Wars" American government started financing development of vehicles equally successfully flying and in atmosphere and in space. Fundamentally new aerospace weapons were supposed to be devices with hypersonic speed flight . After successful creation X-55, Igor Seleznev, without waiting for creation current device models "Ajax" started developing winged missiles flying from hypersonic speed. This rocket has become winged rocket "X-90", which was supposed to fly on a traditional kerosene co speed more Mach 5. KB Selezneva managed to solve the problem temperature overheating. It was assumed that X-90 will start from STRATOSPHERES. Thereby temperature heating corps rockets came down to minimum. However, there was also another reason such launch altitude rockets. The fact is that by this point in time, more, less learned to shoot down ballistic missiles, learned to shoot down aircraft and learned to beat cruise missiles, flying on ultra-low altitudes With subsonic speed flight . Only remained untouched one layer stratosphere - is the layer between atmosphere and space. An idea came up "slip" unnoticed exactly in the area stratosphere, using hypersonic speed.

American cruise missile "Tomahawk" Launch from a ship installation

However, after first successful launch X-90 all work on this rocket was terminated??? This happened thanks to order new leader USSR, M.S. Gorbachev. At this time in Leningrad, Vladimir Freinstadt organized a group scientists enthusiasts for creating hypersonic engine Ajax. This group Freinstadt did not just create a unit according to kerosene processing in hydrogen, but also studied to rule occurring during the flight hypersonic speed, destructive PLASMA around the machine . It outlined the technological breakthrough all manned aircraft! Group Freinstadt started preparing first flight hypersonic models. However, in 1992 project year Ajax CLOSED due to termination of funding AT 1980s years, in USSR development of aircraft flying with hypersonic speeds were on advanced positions in the world!!! This hurt was lost only in 1990s years.

American cruise missile "Tomahawk" just before hitting the target

EFFICIENCY and DANGER combat aircraft flying from hypersonic speeds was OBVIOUS even then, in 1980s years. AT 1998 year in early August in close proximity to American embassies in Kenya and Tanzania thundered powerful explosions. These explosions were made world terrorist organization "Alkaida" which was headed by Osama bin Laden. AT the same year August 20th American ships that were in Arabian sea, produced combat start eight winged missiles " Tomahawk". Through two hours the rockets hit territory camps terrorists located in Afghanistan. Next in secret report to the President USA, B. Clinton agents reported that the main objective missile strike by base "Al-Qaeda" in Afghanistan is NOT achieved. Through half an hour after START missiles Bin Laden about flying at him rockets was WARNING on satellite communications and left base for about one hour before explosions. From this result americans made conclusion such that this combat task could fulfill rockets only with hypersonic speed flight.

Through several days management of advanced developments US Department of Defense signed a long-term contract with the company Boeing. Aviation the firm received many billionth order to create universal winged missiles with hypersonic speed flight, Mach SIX. The order became large-scale project that will USA create promising systems weapons and aviation. Further hypersonic devices in the process of development can turn into machines INTERMEDIATE, who can repeatedly move from atmosphere in space and back, while actively maneuvering. Such devices, due to their non-standard and unpredictable flight paths can represent a very large danger.

AT July 2001 years in USA was launched experimental aircraft "X-43A". He had to reach hypersonic speed flight, SEVEN Machs. But the device crashed. In general, the creation of technology with hypersonic speed flight by DIFFICULTIES comparable to the creation atomic weapons. Newest American hypersonic winged rockets presumably will fly to heights of the stratosphere. Recently race to create hypersonic apparatus started again. New engine hypersonic missiles can become plasma, that is temperature the combustible mixture used in the engine will become equal to hot plasma. Predict time appearance of devices with hypersonic speed flight to Russia, due to insufficient funding bye impossible.

Presumably in 2060s years in world will begin mass transition passenger aircraft flying to distances over 7 000 km, on hypersonic speeds flight at heights flight from 40 before 60 km. AT 2003 year Americans funded their research for their future developments passenger aircraft from hypersonic speed flight to Soviet supersonic passenger plane " Tu-144" ( see articles Tu-144 and "Aleksey Andreevich Tupolev"). In my time Tu-144 was made in quantities 19 things. AT 2003 year one from three left in stock Tu-144 refurbished and converted into flying laboratory in RUSSIAN-AMERICAN aircraft systems development program new generation. Americans were in delighted from the Soviet Tu-144!!!

First ideas of rocket planes - hypersonic aircraft, flying from speed 10-15 Machs, have appeared in 1930s years. However, then even the most visionary designers had little idea with what difficulties will have to face the idea FLY TO ANY POINT OF OUR PLANET IN AN HOUR AND A HALF!!! On the hypersonic speeds flight to atmospheric edges of the wings, air intakes and other parts of the aircraft are heated up to melting temperature of aluminum alloys. Therefore, the creation of the future hypersonic aviation, is entirely connected with chemistry, metallurgy and development new materials.

conventional reactive engines on Mach 3 become already NOT effective ( see article Aviation News. With further increase in speed must be given the opportunity TO THE ROLLING STREAM air to perform, the role compressor, compressing air. For this enough, ENTRANCE PART engine make NOWERING. At hypersonic speed flight degree free stream compression air is such that it temperature becomes 1 500 degrees. The engine turns into a so-called DIRECT FLOW engine in general no rotating parts. But at the same time he really works!

In my time Soviet scientist Vladimir Georgievich Freinshtadt dealt with problems kerosene cooling, flying from space nuclear warheads. Now designers around the world thanks to his research, the effect of an abrupt increase in the energy of combustion of superheated kerosene through the use eye-catching with such high temperatures of HYDROGEN. This Effect gives very more power engine that provides hypersonic speed flight. AT 2004 year Americans installed twice speed records unmanned rocket planes. X-43A unhooked from a jet bomber " B-52" on the altitude 12 000 meters. Rocket "Pegasus" drove him to THREE Mach speeds, and then X-43A launched your engine. Maximum speed flight X-43A was 11 265 km/h (3 130 m/s ), which corresponds 9.5 speeds of sound. Flight to top speed occupied 10 seconds per altitude 35 000 meters. On the Mach 9.5 flight from Moscow in New York take a little less 43's minutes !!! American scientists continue to move aviation science!!!