China Would Freak: The U.S. Military Needs Lasers to Beat Hypersonic Missiles

Summary and Key Points: The U.S. faces significant challenges in countering hypersonic weapons, particularly as rivals like China advance in both hypersonic technology and directed energy weapons, specifically lasers. Hypersonic missiles travel so fast that traditional defenses are ineffective, making lasers a potentially crucial countermeasure. Lasers could disrupt or destroy hypersonic missiles by targeting their superheated airflow or blinding their sensors. With China outpacing the U.S. in both hypersonic and laser weapon technology, America urgently needs to develop effective laser systems to defend against these emerging threats. For the record, using a layered space tracking capability married to an advanced and powerful laser system to shoot down incoming hypersonic weapons is likely America's best-and only-hope for reliable defense against a hypersonic weapons attack. Not to be left behind by the Americans, the Chinese have also begun using lasers on their far more advanced hypersonic weapons. In one case, researchers have figured out how to marry a laser beam to sixth-generation internet so that the Chinese military can maintain constant contact with hypersonic weapons they launched.