Inside Australia’s plan for hypersonic-proof materials

Earlier this year, Australian Aviation reported how carbon fibre composites manufacturer Quickstep would work with the Department of Defence to try and identify the materials necessary to build the next generation of hypersonic weapons and aircraft.

While hypersonic tech — defined as flying at least five times the speed of sound — is nothing new, countries are currently in an arms race to develop the next generation of missiles that are so manoeuvrable in mid-air they can’t be intercepted or detected. The technology also has the potential to eventually power aircraft into space, replacing traditional rockets.