China has hypersonic missiles, South Korea announces: I want to have them too
The scene of "If China can do it, so can I" is once again playing out. It seems that now every country is declaring that they have hypersonic missiles.
Not long ago, South Korea also revealed that it is researching an air-launched hypersonic missile.
However, in fact, this "hypersonic missile" of South Korea is actually based on the KTSSM tactical ground-to-ground missile, and is planned to be launched by a so-called "fifth-generation fighter", the KF-21 - in short, South Korea's intention is to use the speed of the carrier aircraft to accelerate and extend the range of the missile, thus achieving a "hypersonic" effect.
The prototype of the KTSSM missile is the US Army Tactical Missile System. The basic model has a range of about 120 to 180 kilometers, and the improved model has a range of up to 290 kilometers. Currently, South Korea's plan is to modify the KTSSM-1 missile into an air-launched ballistic missile, with an estimated range of 400 to 1000 kilometers, and a speed between 5 to 10 Mach.
However, there is still controversy over the definition of hypersonic weapons. Whether an air-launched ballistic missile is considered a "legitimate" hypersonic weapon is debatable. Its advantage lies in lower technical risk and cost, which allows for a faster formation of combat capability. Compared to traditional ballistic missiles, it is more difficult to intercept. If used in conjunction with cruise missiles, drones, and other weapons, it can effectively break through air defense systems and carry out precise strikes on key targets.
Original article: www.toutiao.com/article/1841059761282183/
Statement: This article represents the views of the author.