Report: Hypersonic, Dual-Capable Missiles Pose Huge Global Threat

New missile technologies, including so-called hypersonic systems capable of traveling at more than 25 times the speed of sound, are fueling a new global arms race, according to a new report from analyst group the Russian President Vladimir Putin, fifth left, and other top officials oversee the test launch of the Avangard hypersonic missile from the Defense Ministry’s control room in Moscow, Dec. 26, 2018.The United States, China and Australia also are developing their own systems, said report author Katarzyna Kubiak of the European Leadership Network.“These are going to outmatch existing missile systems by speed and by maneuverability, and are going to be able to potentially bypass any existing air and missile defense systems for years to come. And on top of this, we also witness an exploration in anti-satellite technologies, which include missiles,” said Kubiak.
Hypersonic, Dual-Capable Missiles Pose Huge Global Threat, Report Warns video player.
In this grab taken from footage by the Russian State Atomic Energy Corporation ROSATOM press service, a woman holds roses as people gather for the funerals of five Russian nuclear engineers killed by a rocket explosion in Sarov, Aug. 12, 2019.Kubiak said the global security architecture surrounding missile proliferation is under a huge strain and is being rapidly outpaced by developing technology.“The already very complex security calculus is going to be even harder. So an unbound missile proliferation will aggravate inter-state competition, it’s going to increase costs of maintaining regional and global stability, it’s going to increase the costs and the risks of military encounters,” said Kubiak.The report says the international community urgently needs to put the subject of missiles higher on the political agenda, including the strengthening of existing non-proliferation and transparency measures and negotiating treaties to address new technologies. 
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