US-Iran war: Pentagon pushes hypersonic weapons production

Viewers, let me now take you over to the U.S. because the Pentagon is exploring a new approach to missile warfare. It's a low-cost hypersonic weapon called Blackbeard, and it's designed to be produced in large numbers and overwhelm enemy defenses. Washington wants to change the economics of warfare, especially since the war with Iran has exposed how U.S. most advanced missiles that are expensive and replenishing these weapons stockpiles takes time. What's our next report on Defense Pulse for more about Blackbeard? For decades, the United States has invested in weapons designed to hit with extraordinary precision. But there is a problem. In a prolonged war, even the most powerful military can burn through its most advanced missiles faster than factories can replace them. Now Washington wants to change the equation. Meet Blackbeard, a new American hypersonic missile. The projected price is about US$385,000 per missile. Compare that with approximately US$3.25 million for the larger long-range anti-ship missile. The difference could allow the US Navy to build a much deeper arsenal for a future conflict with China. The program is moving beyond prototypes. In September, the U.S. Navy awarded Castellon a production order worth up to $200 million. The strategy is simple, overwhelm the enemy with speed and numbers. Blackbeard is designed to travel at more than five times the speed of sound. At such speeds, defenders have less time to detect, track, and engage an incoming weapon. Launching multiple missiles could force an adversary to expend costly interceptors, potentially opening gaps for larger weapons to get through. Blackbeard's full-range effectiveness against moving ships and combat performance are yet to be publicly demonstrated. There is another pressure behind this shift, ammunition shortages. The war involving Iran has underscored how quickly modern conflicts can consume expensive missiles and air defense interceptors. The U.S. has faced wider concerns about replenishing precision weapon stocks for a potential Indo-Pacific conflict. War gaming by American experts have also exposed the danger of exhausting key anti-ship missile inventories early in a fight. While Russia, China, and Iran have fielded or claimed operational hypersonic weapons to challenge Western dominance, the U.S. approach has historically been bogged down by high costs. Now, Blackbeard aims to flip that equation. Bureau Report, Weon, World is One.