Article Summary: The X-51 Waverider’s 2013 hypersonic flight represented a milestone in military aviation, reaching Mach 5.1 using a scramjet engine after launching from a B-52H. Although it eventually crashed into the ocean after exhausting its fuel, the X-51’s successful sustained hypersonic flight provided critical data informing today’s hypersonic missile development.
-These insights directly influenced ongoing military programs like the Army’s Long-Range Hypersonic Weapon and Navy’s Conventional Prompt Strike missile.
-Pentagon researchers now focus on mastering thermal management and new composite materials necessary for stable hypersonic travel, paving the way for future capabilities, possibly including advanced drones such as the SR-72 DarkStar.
Mach 5 and Beyond: How the X-51 Waverider Changed Warfare
The X-51 Waverider’s record-breaking Mach 5 flight in 2013 unlocked the door to today’s advanced hypersonic weapons and missile technologies in the U.S. military.
The X-51 Waverider in 2013 flew above the Pacific Ocean at hypersonic speeds, a breakthrough that informed the evolution of hypersonic weapons technology. The air vehicle used a scramjet engine to propel from a U.S. Air Force B-52, and after several failed experiments, the scramjet was able to achieve speeds of Mach 5.
At that speed, about 3,400 miles per hour, a missile could travel from Washington, D.C., to Atlanta in several minutes—making it a potentially powerful weapon against enemy air defenses.
Achieving hypersonic flight for any period of time, particularly in 2013, can be regarded as a significant breakthrough. But the next test is to sustain hypersonic speeds, and the Waverider’s 2013 flight proved to be the longest air-breathing hypersonic flight ever.
X-51 Flight
The specifics of this breakthrough flight are quite significant, as the X-51 flew on the wing of a B-52H before being released at 50,000 feet. Amazingly, the aircraft was able to accelerate to speeds of Mach 4.8 in 26 seconds, before ultimately reaching Mach 5.1.
Although the X-51 crashed into the ocean, the platform sent back crucial data that proved critical to the scientific advancement of hypersonic flight.
The complexity of hypersonic flight is well known to Pentagon weapons developers. One factor is temperature: Hypersonic projectiles or platforms need to be constructed with composite materials capable of operating at the extreme temperatures generated by traveling at hypersonic speed. Thermal management becomes critical to maintaining flight stability, which is one reason developers continue to experiment with various combinations of materials.
Searching for New Composites
Reportedly, the X-51 Waverider ran out of fuel before it plunged into the Pacific Ocean. This is a key consideration for air-breathing or scramjet-propelled hypersonics.
It would be quite reasonable to presume that lessons learned from the data sent back by the X-51 might contribute to U.S. military success developing hypersonic weapons. For example, the Army is in the final stages of preparing its Long-Range Hypersonic Weapon for operational service, and the Navy plans to deploy its ship-launched Conventional Prompt Strike weapon in the next few years.
Does DarkStar Exist?
U.S. military innovators and industrial partners also continue to work on developing hypersonic drones. One example involves the mysterious SR-72 DarkStar, or the “son of Blackbird.” The platform might be visually similar to the fictional aircraft in Top Gun: Maverick—a sleek, stealthy-looking drone platform achieving hypersonic speeds. The existence of the SR-72, while widely reported and discussed, has never been confirmed by Pentagon or industry sources.
SR-72 artist rendering. Image Credit: Creative Commons.
Regardless, the breakthrough success of the X-51 Waverider, however limited or short-lived it may have been, appears to have helped open the realm of the possible for the Pentagon in hypersonics.
About the Author: Kris Osborn
Kris Osborn is the Military Technology Editor of 19FortyFive and President of Warrior Maven – Center for Military Modernization. Osborn previously served at the Pentagon as a highly qualified expert in the Office of the Assistant Secretary of the Army—Acquisition, Logistics & Technology. Osborn has also worked as an anchor and on-air military specialist at national TV networks. He has appeared as a guest military expert on Fox News, MSNBC, The Military Channel, and The History Channel. He also has a Masters Degree in Comparative Literature from Columbia University.
