Hypersonic missiles: France carries out a first successful test

Hypersonic gliders (HGV, Hypersonic Glide Vehicle) are atmospheric re-entry vehicles launched by a ballistic missile but using their lift and maneuverability to achieve an unpredictable (non-ballistic) atmospheric trajectory

The eXperimental Maneuvering Vehicle (VMaX) has been successfully tested according to the Ministry of the Armed Forces.

In a rather laconic press release, the Directorate General of Armaments (DGA) explains that it “conducted a test firing of a sounding rocket on June 26, 2023 at 10 p.m. from the Biscarosse site of DGA missile tests. This rocket carried the VMaX hyperspeed glider demonstrator. This first demonstrator contained many on-board technological innovations. Its flight test, on a very demanding long-range trajectory, constituted an unprecedented technical challenge which prepares the future of our national hypervelocity roadmap”.

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West France