France successfully tests domestic hypersonic glide vehicle 'V-Max' for the first time
The French General Armaments Directorate (DGA) reported that France successfully tested its domestic Hypersonic Glide Vehicle (HGV) 'V-Max' for the first time on 26 June 2023.
The 'V-Max', a French glider, was launched from a sounding rocket from the Bisqueros missile test over the Bay of Biscay in southwestern France. High-speed ground vehicles (HGVs) can reach extraordinary speeds of up to Mach 20 with the help of rocket boosters.
Once the rockets separate, the HGVs use the remaining momentum to propel themselves at hypersonic speeds toward their targets.
VMaX stands for Vehicle Maneuverant Experimental. Capable of exceeding Mach 5, or 6,000 kilometers per hour (3,730 mph).
So far, only a few countries have or are developing this technology, including China, Russia, and the United States. In 2019, the French government awarded the contract to manufacture the glide vehicle to the aerospace company ArianeGroup.
Hypersonic glider
The hypersonic glider is designed to carry nuclear or conventional warheads. Unlike ballistic missiles, hypersonic gliders can change direction at high speed, allowing them to evade air defense systems.
