Hypersonic flight: Threat or opportunity?

If there's one word that keeps military planners from sleeping at night, it's "hypersonic." The ability to fly at more than five times the speed of sound holds the promise of getting to the antipodes in less time than it takes to drive across town. However, it also makes possible deadly weapons that can penetrate any defenses currently available while delivering the destructive force of a tactical nuclear weapon. So what is hypersonic flight and is its development an opportunity or a threat? Continue reading... http://newatlas.com/hypersonic-flight/50801/