The defense departments of the United States, the United Kingdom and Australia have agreed to combine resources and share expertise, technical information and test facilities to accelerate the development of hypersonic vehicles under the second pillar of the AUKUS trilateral security partnership.
Through the Hypersonic Flight Test and Experimentation project arrangement, a series of hypersonic trials will be held, including up to six trilateral flight test campaigns, the U.S. Department of Defense said Monday.
The testing programs, expected to begin by 2028, are supported by a $252 million funding pool.
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Indo-Pacific Security
The AUKUS Pillar 2 focuses on strengthening cooperation in advancing critical technologies that enhance integrated deterrence and boost security and stability in the Indo-Pacific region.
Heidi Shyu, the under secretary of defense for research and engineering and a 2024 Wash100 Award recipient, said the collaborative effort will speed up the development of high-temperature materials, advanced propulsion systems, guidance and control, and other key technologies essential to improving the performance and operational capability of hypersonic weapon systems.
AUKUS Export Control Changes
In preparation for the Pillar 2 initiatives, the AUKUS members previously made changes to their export control regulations to remove hindrances to defense trade and technology sharing. The allied countries also invited Canada, New Zealand and South Korea — countries that have close bilateral defense ties with the AUKUS members — to join the Pillar 2 collaboration to improve interoperability and contribute to the development of advanced capabilities.