Iran Press/America: American hypersonic missile capabilities are "not as advanced" as those of China or Russia, Space Force General David Thompson said Saturday at the Halifax International Security Forum in Canada, signaling that the US is behind in developing the newest and most cutting-edge weaponry.
Thompson admitted during an interview that the US lagging behind the other two countries is potentially dangerous for national security.
"We have catching up to do very quickly, the Chinese have an incredible hypersonic program," he said. "It's a very concerning development ... it greatly complicates the strategic warning problem."
The news comes after China tested a missile capable of carrying nuclear warheads that circled the globe over the summer. The launch surprised US officials. Russia also test-fired a missile in the arctic on Nov 18, according to a state-run media outlet in the country.
The US failed its own hypersonic missile tests in October, according to CNN.
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According to a memo the Congressional Research Service (CRS) provided for US Congress on Oct 19, the US is lagging behind China and Russia because "most US hypersonic weapons, in contrast to those in Russia and China, are not being designed for use with a nuclear warhead."
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