Military

Quarterhorse 2.1 takes flight

US Startup Hermeus Flies Quarterhorse Jet Toward Breaking SR-71 Speed Record

A US aerospace startup has flown its Quarterhorse Mk 2.1 aircraft for the first time, advancing toward breaking the 50-year-old speed record of the legendary SR-71 Blackbird. The uncrewed jet took off from Spaceport America in New Mexico on March 2, 2026, for subsonic system tests. Hermeus plans supersonic flights with later prototypes before attempting hypersonic speeds with the future Chimera engine.

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Hypersonix DART AE vehicle mounted on Rocket Lab HASTE launch rocket at Wallops Island launch complex with launch tower in background

Australia Tests 3D-Printed DART AE Hypersonic Missile in US Launch

Australia’s Hypersonix Launch Systems has successfully flown the world’s first 3D-printed hypersonic aircraft, reaching Mach 8 during a test from Virginia. The DART AE vehicle used a green hydrogen scramjet engine after launch atop a Rocket Lab booster. The US Department of Defense sponsored the mission to validate advanced manufacturing and guidance systems for future high-speed weapons.

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