BLUF
Synergetic Air-Breathing Rocket Engines should revolutionise warfare, travel and communications and may not be too far away.
Summary
Travelling from Perth to Paris in under five hours at Mach 5 by hypersonic aircraft is coming closer to being realised. 'Reaction Engines' (a UK based company funded by the British Government) are developing a Synergetic Air-Breathing Rocket Engine (SABRE). 'Reaction Engines—working with Rolls Royce, Boeing and BAE Systems—have already tested: full-scale ultra-lightweight heat exchanger; high-temperature air-flow; and hydrogen pre-burner sub-systems. These engines could have military and civilian uses, including being used to power sixth-generation UK Tempest fighters. Australia is already investing in hypersonic missiles due to rapid technological advances by potential adversaries. Technology developed so far—including a thermal management and heat exchanger—can be sold commercially. Consider the impact that hypersonic engines could have on Australia in terms of defence and commercially in shrinking travel times to the rest of the world.
References
- Oct 2020 Physics Air-breathing rocket engines: the future of space flight
- Feb 2021 Reaction Engines home page UK
- Feb 2021 US Dept of Defense Defense Officials Outline Hypersonics Development Strategy
- Feb 2021 US Dept of Defense Official Describes DOD Hypersonics Development, Strategy and Opportunities
- Mar 2021 Defense News Hypersonic and directed-energy weapons: Who has them, and who’s winning the race in the Asia-Pacific?
- Mar The Diplomat Pentagon Officials Sketch Hypersonic Strategy