Could Chinese hypersonic weapons tap Wi-fi bandwidth for communication?
- Researchers in China say a simple antenna could allow home command to stay in touch with a missile travelling at Mach 5
- No data from high-speed tests has been released but the team say ground experiment results show ‘remarkable’ performance
The team said the breakthrough was of military interest because radar and other communication devices carried by hypersonic vehicles would have a greater range while using less energy.
In a paper in the January edition of Journal of Microwaves, the peer-reviewed publication run by the Chinese Institute of Electronics – China’s largest society for electronic engineers – the researchers said the low frequency would increase performance in target identification, positioning and other critical functions.
“[These hypersonic weapons] can greatly expand the battlefield space, enhance penetration and strike capabilities with a subversive impact on traditional defence methods, combat modes and countermeasures,” said the team led by Mao Junfa, professor with Shanghai Jiao Tong University’s school of electronic information and electrical engineering.
China has developed numerous types of hypersonic weapons including the YJ-21 ship-launched missile that can hit a moving aircraft carrier fleet from 1,500km (932 miles) away at a speed too fast for most existing air defence systems.