United Kingdom Looks to Hypersonic Aircraft

A combined group of Reaction Engines, Rolls-Royce, the Royal Air Force’s Rapid Capabilities Office (RCO), the UK Government’s Defence Science and Technology Laboratory (Dstl) and the UK’s National Security Strategic Investment Fund (NSSIF), have gathered together in an attempt to create hypersonic jets capable of flying at five times the speed of sound.

Currently, the U.K.-led military project has been operating out of Oxfordshire in which they believe they can successfully manufacture an unmanned aircraft capable of carrying out multiple missions with the ability to travel at 3,800 mph.

This is not the first attempt at hypersonic aircraft.  The U.S Russia, and China are all currently working on missiles capable of traveling at hypersonic speeds.  All of which have been unsuccessful until recently when the United States was able to conduct its first successful test flight.  However, the aircraft was only able to reach the speed of sound which is 767 mph.

Source: Financial Times