It is human nature to reach for the heavens, to push beyond our limits, and to move at faster speeds than ever before. Our curiosity often leads us into the realm of astral laws and physics. But more importantly, it is the race against one another—the competition to be better and the concept of the survival of the fittest—that drives us into the infamous arms race. In this race, mankind has developed a game-changer, a creation that sets in motion not only destructive policies but also mass fear among the people. That creation is undoubtedly the research and development of hypersonic missiles.
Imagine you have an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) carrying an atomic warhead. You launch it into enemy territory, hoping to cause massive destruction. But the enemy’s radars are quick, and once detected, they might intercept the missile. Now, imagine that your ICBM is so fast it reaches the target before the radars can even detect it. This is the concept of hypersonic missiles today: a projectile that travels faster than the speed of sound, reaching speeds above Mach 5 (6,000 km/h), soaring through the sky with incredible speed. This menace from the heavens would explode on target before it is even heard. Such is its ferocity.
The concept of hypersonic missiles traces its origins to World War II when the German Wehrmacht used V2 rockets to terrorise the enemy with their high-speed descent. By the 1950s, the Americans had developed the Atlas ICBM, which could exceed Mach 5. However, these weapons lacked the precision and accuracy needed for mass production. One of the issues was the materials required to withstand the enormous pressure and heat at high speeds. This challenge was solved with the development of scramjet propulsion which could manage the heat release. The subsequent tests of Russia’s infamous Avangard Hypersonic Glide Vehicle proved to be a milestone, showing that these weapons could be used effectively.
There are essentially two types of hypersonic weapons: hypersonic glide vehicles (HGVs) and hypersonic cruise missiles. HGVs are often launched by rockets from ground units or aircraft. These rockets propel the HGV to high altitudes, and the descent creates the high speed needed to manoeuvre swiftly into enemy territory. Their advantage lies in their low-altitude descent, which makes them difficult to detect and intercept. The second type, hypersonic cruise missiles, attain altitudes of 30-40 km in the atmosphere and then descend precisely onto their targets from above. One could compare it to Zeus throwing lightning bolts from the heavens.
With all the reverence these weapons command, the world is adapting to a new policy. Major countries now believe that without these weapons, they might be wiped out early in a conflict. Such fears are justified because hypersonic missiles blur the lines between conventional and nuclear warfare, as they can be used in both contexts. A state of fear has emerged among the major powers, who now look at each other with suspicion.
As of now, it is confirmed that Russia, the USA, and China possess these weapons and have incorporated them into their military arsenals. Russia has even tested its Kinzhal missile (an HGV) on the battlefield in Ukraine. Other countries, including India, are also actively researching and developing this technology. This brings us to the next issue in our region.
The regional instability created by India and China’s development of hypersonic missiles forces Pakistan into the race as well. To balance the stakes and remain prepared in the already volatile subcontinent, Pakistan is now compelled to join the race. While Pakistan already possesses missiles that can reach enemy territory in 5-10 minutes, hypersonic missiles would dramatically reduce that response time, further escalating tensions and possibly worsening relations between the two countries.
As the world watches in awe at the emergence of new security challenges, a new arms race, and a growing distrust in the very concept of war, one can’t help but wonder: What would we face if war were to break out today? We now possess weapons that dehumanise us to the core, tearing apart the very essence of our humanity. We have weapons that are faster than even the speed of reason itself. What does that leave us with? The person holding the trigger not only decides the life or death of many but may also lose the very concept of life in the process. Has it not been said before that when we decide whether another soul lives or dies, we lose our humanity in that very moment?