Hypersonic Missile Falls Off A U.S. Air Force B-52 During A Test Trial

A B-52 carries an Air Launched Rapid Response Weapon in June 2019. U.S. Air Force

Forbes: Look Out Below! A Hypersonic Missile Just Fell Off A U.S. Air Force B-52

An experimental Mach-five missile accidentally fell off a B-52 test plane during a trial over California, Aviation Week reported on Tuesday.

The Hypersonic Air-Breathing Weapon Concept missile, or HAWC, was destroyed when it struck the ground at Edwards Air Force Base, according to reporters Guy Norris and Steve Trimble.

HAWC is one of several super-fast missiles that the Air Force is developing in order to help its ancient B-52 bombers and other planes poke holes in Chinese and Russian defenses.

HAWC is a scramjet, meaning it has an engine and breathes air like an airplane does. Other hypersonic weapons, such as the Air-Launched Rapid-Response Weapon, boost to hypersonic speed atop a rocket then glides at five times the speed of sound.

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Update: U.S. Air Force Investigates Hypersonic Test Mishap (Aviation Week)

WNU Editor: In the meantime the Chinese are finding success in their program .... China Reveals Hypersonic Cruise Missile Engine Test Success (Defense World).