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RN will have to play catch-up to achieve hypersonic ambitions

18th February 2022 - 09:00 GMT | by Harry Lye in London

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The RN has been criticised for its ships being well-defended but lacking lethality. (Photo: UK MoD/ Crown Copyright)

Comments from the head of the RN about hypersonic ambitions came shortly before UK officials met with their French counterparts to progress the joint Future Cruise/Anti-Ship Weapon project.

In a 10 February speech, the head of the UK RN, First Sea Lord Adm Sir Ben Key, expressed an ambition to make the service a global leader in hypersonic weapons; however, the service will have to play catch-up to meet these ambitions.

The ambition to become a global leader in hypersonic weapons comes after the RN formally cancelled plans to acquire an interim replacement for the Harpoon missile, leaving it with an anti-ship missile capability gap between 2023 and 2028.

Speaking during a visit to Scotland to see the shipyards building the Inspiration-class Type 31 and City-class Type

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