The British Ministry of Defence is set to spend up to £1 billion on accelerating its acquisition of hypersonic weapons, Lydia Chantler-Hicks reports in the Evening Standard.
The British Ministry of Defence recently released a prior information notice (PIN) to invite potential suppliers to participate in the development of the United Kingdom’s hypersonic strike capability. The goal is to establish a “multi-supplier Hypersonic Technologies & Capability Development Framework Agreement” in order to expedite the development process. The estimated budget for this initiative is £1 billion.
The PIN emphasizes that this endeavor will be a collaborative effort aimed at accelerating the acquisition of an advanced Hypersonic Strike capability by the Ministry of Defence (MoD). Over a span of seven years, it is anticipated that the Framework will have a value of up to £1 billion.
To facilitate the success of the hypersonics program and provide suppliers with additional information, an “early supplier market engagement day” is scheduled for this summer. The purpose of this event is to ensure that suppliers are well-informed and prepared to contribute effectively. In an online publication by the UK government, it is explained that while there is no universally accepted definition of the term “hypersonic missile,” it typically refers to missiles that can sustain flight within the Earth’s atmosphere at speeds exceeding five times the speed of sound. Furthermore, these missiles possess the ability to execute significant maneuvers, thereby altering their trajectory.