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Review and Evaluation of the Air Force Hypersonic Technology Program (1998) / Chapter Skim
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EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
Pages 1-4

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From page 1...
... examine whether the technologies that underlie the concept of a hypersonic, air-launched, air-breathing, hydrocarbonfueled missile with speeds up to Mach 8i can be demonstrated in time to be initially operational by 2015. To conduct the study, the NRC appointed the Committee on Review and Evaluation of the Air Force Hypersonic Technology Program, under the auspices of the Air Force Science and Technology Board.
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From page 2...
... To the committee's knowledge, the collateral technologies required for the entire missile system are not currently being developed. Because the words "operational requirements" were emphasized in the Statement of Task, the committee was surprised to learn that the Air Force has not established operational REVIEW AND EVALUATION OF THE AIR FORCE HYPERSONIC TECHNOLOGY PROGRAM requirements for a hypersonic missile system, although both the Air Force and Navy have established some general performance goals (e.g., top speeds of Mach 8 and Mach 6, respectively)
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From page 3...
... The Air Force could benefit from using hypersonic vehicles after 2015, particularly for enhancing its global reach and access to space. Hypersonic technologies could be pursued either along a broad front or through a more focused program of evolutionary development to meet clearly stated requirements.
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From page 4...
... A hypersonic air-breathing missile will affect primarily one aspect of the Air Force support infrastructure, namely, ground testing facilities. Existing test facilities can support full-scale propulsion performance testing only at flight speeds up to approximately Mach 7.
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Key Terms

  • flight testing
  • hytech program
  • hypersonic technology
  • operational requirements
  • enabling technologies

  • critical enabling
  • hypersonic weapon
  • force support
  • ground testing
  • support infrastructure

  • force hypersonic
  • operational hypersonic
  • including flight
  • critical technologies
  • manufacturing development

  • established operational
  • maximum mach
  • operational capability
  • besides propulsion
  • propulsion technology

  • space access
  • flow path
  • evolutionary development
  • flight test
  • prototype vehicle

  • initial production
  • establish operational
  • followed expeditiously
  • global reach
  • using hydrogen


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