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Despite Vastly Outspending China and Russia, US Lags Both in Missile Tech

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Despite Vastly Outspending China and Russia, US Lags Both in Missile Tech
A Russian Yars intercontinental ballistic missile launcher parades through Red Square during the Victory Day military parade in central Moscow on May 9, 2022. Kirill Kudryavtsev/AFP via Getty Images
Mike Fredenburg
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China just announced it has developed a space-launched hypersonic glide vehicle weapon capable of reaching a target anywhere on the planet within 30 minutes of launch. The re-entry glide vehicle (RGV) travels at about Mach 20 while in space, and is designed to survive re-entry into earth’s atmosphere, whereupon it glides to its target at speeds greater than Mach 5.
Mike Fredenburg
Mike Fredenburg
Author
Mike Fredenburg writes on military technology and defense matters with an emphasis on defense reform. He holds a bachelor's degree in mechanical engineering and master's degree in production operations management.