U.S. Seeks Technologies to Bridge Tactical Hypersonic Missile Gap with China

The United States is accelerating efforts to develop a new generation of air-breathing hypersonic cruise missiles, as Washington seeks to close a capability gap that became increasingly apparent after China publicly unveiled advanced new hypersonic weapons during its 2025 military parade. The U.S. Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) is preparing to bring defence contractors together later this month to outline requirements for a Next Generation Hypersonic Cruise Missile programme. According to DARPA, air-breathing propulsion will be central to the project, marking a significant effort to develop a new class of hypersonic weapons rather than simply incrementally improving existing systems. 

Hypersonic missiles compress the time available for detection, identification and interception, as each can cover hundreds of kilometres in only a few minutes, while manoeuvrability during flight can make predicting its trajectory considerably more difficult than with a conventional ballistic missile. Seeking to bridge capability gaps, DARPA is consequently called for new approaches to propulsion, fuels, boosters and thermal-management systems capable of dealing with the extreme temperatures generated during sustained hypersonic flight. The thermal problem is among the most difficult aspects of developing such weapons, as atmospheric friction generates enormous heat around the missile’s leading edges and other exposed surfaces. 

China displayed two advanced air-breathing hypersonic missiles during the September 2025 parade in Beijing, which were identified as the YJ-19 and the much larger CJ-1000, and both employ scramjet propulsion. Air-breathing propulsion represents a particularly important development in hypersonic weapons technology. Conventional rocket-powered missiles must carry both their fuel and oxidiser, whereas an air-breathing engine obtains oxygen from the surrounding atmosphere. Eliminating the need to carry an onboard oxidiser can free additional mass for fuel or payload and potentially allow the missile to sustain hypersonic speeds over longer distances.

The YJ-19 attracted particular attention because of the prominent air intake visible on the missile displayed during the Chinese parade. The weapon is believed to be designed primarily for anti-ship missions, potentially providing the People’s Liberation Army with another means of threatening major surface combatants at considerable distances. Its combination of high speed, manoeuvrability and potentially long range are expected to seriously complicate existing naval air-defence architectures. The larger CJ-1000 represents an even broader threat, and is intended for much longer-range strikes and could potentially engage land, maritime and airborne targets. Its size provides considerably more room for fuel and propulsion systems than smaller tactical weapons. This is expected to allow it to cover substantially greater distances while maintaining hypersonic speeds.