Chapter 1186: Game-Changing Weapons

After more than a dozen people looked at each other for a few seconds, Li Jixiang finally remembered to put down the three-color marker in his hand, and then rubbed his wrist which was a little sore from being suspended in the air.

Perhaps because he was embarrassed by the failed performance, he coughed twice, then turned to Lu Zhicheng who was frowning not far away:

"Captain, that thing just now was a...what?"

Li Jixiang had already seen the number 2250m/s on the screen, but he seemed even more confused than before.

Because in his concept, it seems that nothing has a terminal velocity in this strange range.

Generally speaking, the reentry velocity of a ballistic missile increases as its range increases.

But it is not a simple proportional relationship.

Generally speaking, the reentry speed of long-range and intercontinental ballistic missiles can reach 15-20 Mach or even higher.

So far, the only practical interception method is to launch an anti-aircraft missile also equipped with a nuclear warhead and destroy both sides.

Of course, this weapon itself will not be equipped with conventional explosives, and once launched in actual combat, it would mean starting an irreversible nuclear war.

Therefore, it is a weapon outside the realm of complete theory.

However, ordinary medium- and short-range missiles, especially most tactical models that do not even have the ability to separate the header from the missile body, find it difficult to break through the Mach 5 barrier.

The latest model of medium-range missile has a two-stage rocket, which can achieve this re-entry speed.

But the PLA does not seem to be so extravagant as to casually fire a DF-21 missile...

Lu Zhicheng did not answer immediately, but lowered his head and thought for a while, but still could not come up with a more reasonable answer.

He had no choice but to shake his head:

"I'm not sure..."

"But it is certain that this is not something that our current equipment can handle..."

Li Jixiang was still immersed in the unsuccessful interception just now, and asked with some embarrassment:

"The results of the exercise..."

"Of course I report it truthfully!"

Lu Zhicheng took a deep breath, then slowly stood up:

"The superiors must have known the details of this target long ago."

"So, I'm afraid we are the ones serving as sparring partners..."

……

In fact, Captain Lu’s guess was indeed a bit presumptuous.

This anti-missile interception exercise, which took place hundreds of kilometers away, was an additional arrangement by the military. It was completely independent of the test of the double-cone warhead, and there was no question of one serving as a sparring partner for the other.

Therefore, Chang Haonan and others at the launch site are currently unaware of this incident.

Since the test was not of a complete combat system, there was no assessment of hit accuracy.

The terminal speed of Mach 6.5 is not enough to produce an ionosphere in the air. Therefore, as long as the seeker can start normally, it means that the warhead itself has withstood the overload, radiation, and of course the most important temperature test during the entire flight.

So for them, after hearing the command "seeker on", this test was considered a success...

Xing Muchun looked at the missile launch camp in the distance that had not yet completed its evacuation, and suddenly felt a sense of unreality.

How could I, the deputy chief designer of the Long March 2F rocket, suddenly witness the successful test launch of a hypersonic weapon with my own eyes?

Even if it is just a warhead, or even an incomplete warhead.

But you have to know that it has only been about half a year since the project started.

The progress of the entire project is literally changing with each passing day.

He glanced at his colleagues in front of him and found that their expressions seemed to be similar to his...

"So...it worked?"

He asked tentatively.

For a moment, no one answered.

Even including Chang Haonan.

To him, the warhead itself was a trivial matter.

But many of the technologies it carries are key to benefiting the next few years, or even longer.

Finally, it was Missile Brigade Commander Wei Shijun who could no longer hold back and broke the silence:

"Yes, the launch was successful."

These seven short words were like the floodgates of a dam suddenly opening.

The emotions that had been accumulated a few days ago were released like a gushing flood. Chang Haonan was used to this kind of scene, but before he could react, he saw Xing Muchun, who was not far in front of him, turned around and gave him a hug that must have used all his strength...

It was not until about ten minutes later that the excitement of the crowd gradually faded away.

Chang Haonan was finally able to escape from the crowd, leaning on a chair nearby, gasping for breath.

The hugs that came from all directions just now almost suffocated him to death in this deep forest...

It was not until this time that he noticed that a person he had never seen before had walked into the door of the brigade headquarters.

The other party was in casual clothes and should not be a member of the missile brigade.

But being able to enter here obviously also required the approval of Wei Shijun.

Therefore, Chang Haonan looked directly at the latter

"Commander Wei, this..."

However, before he could finish his question, the man looked around and then took the initiative to walk up to Chang Haonan.

"Hello, Academician Chang."

The latter stood up and shook hands with the other party.

"I'm from the Second Academy of Aerospace Science and Industry Corporation. My name is Dai Pengxin. Here's my letter of introduction..."

Dai Pengxin said as he took out a piece of paper from his pocket.

As of 2005, the application environment of letters of introduction is not as broad as it was a decade ago.

So when Chang Haonan saw this thing, he couldn't help but be stunned for a moment before he took it in his hands.

After opening it, there were indeed two big red seals from China Aerospace Science and Industry Corporation and the Second Academy of China Aerospace Science and Industry Corporation.

"People's Liberation Army 95229 Unit:

... With the approval of the superior leadership... I would like to introduce Comrade Dai Pengxin from our unit to your department to understand and observe the testing of the new warhead..."

"..."

Chang Haonan quickly read the contents of the letter.

Although the letter of introduction was issued to the 51st Base, and it did not directly state the position that Dai Pengxin was in charge of, it was not difficult to make some inferences based on his work unit and the current time point...

"I guess... your job is to research ballistic missile maneuver penetration and guidance control?"

Ballistic missile guidance and control, the final product is actually the later Dongfeng 21D anti-ship ballistic missile.

Although there is no 995 project on this timeline, the projects included in it were all started under different names in the years around the turn of the century.

After hearing this question, Dai Pengxin's eyes lit up:

"Exactly!"

"Our project team leader has learned that Academician Chang has successfully developed a new warhead cooling technology. Compared with passive heat absorption through ablative materials, your technology can directly reduce the surface temperature of the warhead, delaying or even eliminating the formation of the surface ionosphere..."

The two projects, to some extent, have the same goal.

Of course, compared with hypersonic weapons, the anti-ship ballistic missiles of the Second Academy are undoubtedly more urgent in terms of their need for radar guidance.

Chang Haonan is naturally willing to lend a helping hand to brother units if conditions permit, but it is impossible for him to simply become a living Buddha.

Therefore, no clear statement was made immediately.

Instead he asked:

"How far have you progressed now?"

Dai Pengxin was on this trip to ask for help, so it was impossible for him to keep the secret in such a place:

"At the beginning of this year, Shengfei Group helped us modify a J-8C fighter jet that can break through the thermal barrier. We moved the anti-ship ballistic missile's seeker onto it and conducted several rounds of tests. However, the aircraft cannot even reach three times the speed of sound, so we can only obtain very limited data..."

"I am also working on the guidance head part, so let's not talk about this for now."

Chang Haonan waved his hand:

"When attacking moving targets with ballistic missiles, the biggest challenge is not only guidance but also flight path control... Which technology route did you choose in this regard?"

His hypersonic weapon flies entirely within the atmosphere, so of course he chooses to use aerodynamic control surfaces to solve the problem.

However, if the anti-ship ballistic missile starts to adjust its posture after entering the atmosphere, it may not be too late.

And judging from the meaning of the letter of introduction, the Second Academy does not seem to have a mature rudder cooling solution.

"We can't solve the problem of rudder ablation for the time being..."

Dai Pengxin answered almost without thinking:

"So, the main research direction at present is variable center of mass maneuver."