If you have been keeping up with defense news lately, hypersonic is the one word that has been repeatedly mentioned. Hypersonic weapons are those whose speed exceeds five times that of sound. However, to be extremely fast is only a small part of the story. What really causes the biggest fear in war planners is the fact that they are able to adjust their trajectory at the very moment of flight, thus they can evade regular radar and missile defenses just like a running back who is avoiding the tackles. In the words of a defense analyst, Brandon Toliver, “Hypersonic weapons that operate at speeds beyond Mach 5 and have flight paths that are unpredictable, completely overturn the traditional missile defense ideas.” The time for warnings can be slashed to just a few minutes, thereby leaving almost no space for mistakes and increasing the decision-makers’ stakes.
Countries with functional hypersonic systems are already getting the job done. Russia’s Avangard and similar states’ new systems can be equipped with conventional or nuclear warheads, so it is hard to tell what is coming your way until it gets there. Old-fashioned tactics—traveling in predictable ballistic paths and shooting them down with ground-based missiles—just don’t work anymore.
The American Response: Building a Next-Generation Shield
Faced with this challenge, the United States is rethinking missile defense from scratch. A new executive order calls for the rapid development of a next-generation system, with inspiration from Israel’s Iron Dome scaled up to protect an entire continent. The idea is straightforward: design a multi-layer shield that can see, track, and neutralize threats of all distances, bringing together everything from ground-based interceptors to advanced sensors in space.
The defense of the U.S. is unparalleled in its difficulty. America’s not like other small nations, having to defend against short-range rockets but also long-range missiles, hypersonic glide vehicles, and high-speed cruise missiles. The new strategy is based on multiple layers of defense, where conventional interceptors, space-based sensors, and electronic warfare gear combine to detect and disrupt threats early.
Space-Based Defenses and Advanced Technology
Arguably, the most contentious—and ambitious—component of the plan is firing interceptors into space. These would be space-based systems that would aim to destroy missiles in their boost phase, before they can release decoys or perform difficult-to-predict maneuvers. Some enthusiasts argue it could give the U.S. near-global reach and early interception options, but also skeptics who argue it might spark an arms race in space.
The Pentagon is accelerating efforts like the Hypersonic and Ballistic Tracking Space Sensor layer and building a constellation of satellites to allow persistent tracking and targeting. The concept is to combine tried-and-true missile defense methods with rapid innovation, feeding new technology into the system as it develops. Defense contractors, including the major industry players, are at the forefront of the effort, combining tried-and-true expertise with commercial innovation to build a strong and adaptable system.
Industrial Mobilization and Critical Materials
A modern missile defense system is not just about rockets and radars—it’s about materials and supply chains. New interceptors and hypersonic vehicles rely on metals and alloys that can withstand high heat and stress. A specific case in point is the metal niobium, which appears in high-temperature superalloys.
The U.S. is dependent now on imports for almost all of its niobium, which could be a vulnerability. To offset that, Washington is exploring domestic mining, foreign alliances, and strategic stockpiling to ensure certainty that production of missile defenses is not limited by access to the essential resources. Holding onto the raw materials is as crucial as deploying the interceptors themselves.
The Value of Allies and Partnerships
Missile defense in the age of hypersonic does not stop at any one nation. The U.S. is doubling its wager on cooperation with allies and industry to pool information, accelerate innovation, and leverage resources. Across the military, joint operations and interoperability are stressed very heavily, particularly in space. Brig. Gen. Don Brooks of the U.S. Army Space and Missile Defense Command emphasizes that collaboration among warfighters, industry, and allied countries is critical to staying ahead of the curve of new threats.
Internationally, the U.S. is working in close cooperation with allies such as the U.K., Australia, and Canada to develop joint missile defense technology and operating procedures. The commercial industry has an increasingly important role to play as well, helping to deploy advanced systems that are capable of adapting to emerging threats. In Brooks’ words, “Partnerships between allied nations and the U.S., combined with commercial industry support, provide a decisive technical edge in space-domain awareness.”
Adjusting to a High-Stakes Future
The advent of hypersonic missiles is forcing America to rethink its entire missile defense system—from technology and industrial capacity to alliances and operating procedures. It’s an innovation vs. adaptation game of great risk, where time is in short supply and mistakes can be calamitous. The margin for error is closing as these missiles are getting faster, smarter, and more erratic, and this is the most immediate challenge in missile defense.