In a significant breakthrough for European defense, Anglo-German startup Hypersonica has successfully completed the first test of its privately developed hypersonic missile. This milestone represents a leap forward in the quest for a sovereign hypersonic strike capability within Europe.
The firm, based in Munich, reported that its missile prototype surpassed Mach 6—equating to speeds of 7,409 kilometers or 4,604 miles per hour—and showcased a range exceeding 300 kilometers (186 miles). This initial test not only highlighted the missile’s impressive velocity but also confirmed the proper functioning of all onboard systems throughout both the ascent and descent phases.
Incredibly, this test flight occurred just nine months after the project’s inception, illustrating Hypersonica’s rapid development pace. The company has set an ambitious timeline, aiming to finalize its missile development by 2029. The phased roadmap ahead includes additional flights designed to prove sustained hypersonic flight capability, advanced maneuverability, and full mission functionality.
A recent funding round, which raised 23 million euros (approximately $28 million), is poised to facilitate the next phase of the program. These funds will be directed toward scaling the current prototype into a full-sized missile, with testing anticipated in the first quarter of fiscal 2026.
Co-founders Philipp Kerth, serving as CEO, and Marc Ewenz, in the role of CTO, expressed their enthusiasm regarding the successful test flight. They noted that the test provided critical data for the ongoing design of high-speed strike systems and improved their capacity to analyze the weapon profiles of potential adversaries. They emphasized the efficiency of their development process, suggesting it could redefine expectations regarding the resources and time required to build such advanced capabilities.
Gigabytes, not exorbitant budgets, are driving this innovation; Hypersonica claims that its modular missile architecture allows for rapid enhancements and significantly shortened development timelines, cutting costs by over 80 percent compared to traditional systems.
In an approach described by Jeannette zu Fürstenberg, president at General Catalyst, as “software-enabled mass hardware,” Hypersonica’s strategy focuses on continually updating capabilities via software rather than redesigning hardware. This strategy permits extensive debugging and simulations prior to live tests, thus accelerating the iterative process and mitigating risk.
While the specific unit costs for the missile have not been released, it has been indicated that they will be significantly lower than comparable systems developed through conventional procurement processes.
Hypersonica is not alone in this endeavor; Europe is actively exploring various hypersonic projects, including a significant hypersonic cruise missile initiative in the UK, which boasts an estimated investment of 1 billion pounds (around $1.31 billion). As nations ramp up their efforts in this cutting-edge field, Hypersonica is positioning itself as a key player in the emergent landscape of hypersonic defense capabilities.
