A new type of missile was developed by the US Air Force. Announced at last week’s Association of Air and Space Forces War Symposium, the projectile features a movable head that allows it to change direction midflight and hit moving targets.
The weapon, called Mutant, is based on a design from the 1950s and is still in the experimental phase. According to the Air Forces Research Laboratory (AFRL), the project was not built earlier because the technologies of the time were not sufficiently advanced.
The Mutant is a modified Hellfire missile model and has not yet been launched by US forces. During the tests conducted, a “rocket sled” was used, in which the projectile is placed on a rail on the ground and launched at a long distance. This allows researchers to study the impact effect.
Hypersonic weapons are becoming more common in armies around the world. Knowing this, the US is looking for a way to deal with this type of missiles, since conventional defense systems do not work.
Russia has used hypersonic missiles in Ukraine and claims to be working on a hypersonic nuclear weapon that can travel rapidly while changing position.
“AFRL aims to significantly increase missile range and lethality against highly maneuverable targets with an improved flight control actuation system,” says the US Air Force.
*Intern at R7directed by Lucas Ferreira
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