F1 team McLaren to help UK build £1bn hypersonic missile
Formula One team McLaren is helping UK military chiefs build a hypersonic missile as part of a £1 billion project.
Ministry of Defence bosses believe the deadly rocket, which can swerve at speeds of 4,000mph, would rival those from China and Russia.
Hypersonic missiles can change direction while traveling at speeds greater than Mach 5, making them extremely difficult to intercept.
The Ministry of Defence (MoD) aims to have these rockets ready within six years. This timeline is set against the backdrop of ongoing tensions with Russia and China, both of which already possess Mach 5 weapons.
Piers Thynne, CEO of the Surrey-based McLaren Racing team, said, “We’re proud to have signed the Armed Forces Covenant.”
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Air Force Global Strike Command)
Piers Thynne, Chief Operating Officer of McLaren F1, added: “To sign the covenant and align thinking between our organisations is inspiring and sets a good pathway for our teams and people for the future.”
This announcement coincides with the British Grand Prix weekend at Silverstone. The missile will travel faster than Mach 5, a term that means five times the speed of sound.
In recent years, Russia and China have both demonstrated their military capabilities with hypersonic missiles.
Russia has deployed Kinzhal and Zircon hypersonic missiles in Ukraine as part of their ongoing conflict.
Despite claims from Vladimir Putin that these weapons are unstoppable, several Russian missiles in the region were reportedly intercepted by US Patriot rockets.
Meanwhile, China conducted test-fires of two hypersonic weapons in 2022 as a show of strength.
