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China’s hypersonic aircraft, Yunxing, aims to travel at Mach 4. Lingkong Tianxing Technology plans to launch it by 2027, cutting London to New York flights to 1.5-2 hours
The hypersonic plane is being developed by Beijing-based company Lingkong Tianxing Technology. (Representative/News18 Hindi)
In the constantly evolving world of technology, advancements continually emerge, challenging our understanding of what is possible. America, Russia, and China have risen to global superpower status, fuelled by technological prowess.
China, in particular, stands out as the world’s largest exporter, supplying raw materials and manufactured goods to a global market. Numerous countries, including Pakistan, rely heavily on China for essential medical supplies and everyday products.
China has long held ambitions of becoming a leading player in the global arms market, currently dominated by nations like France, the United States, and Israel. However, in terms of technological advancements, China has emerged as a formidable contender.
Following their success in developing hypersonic missiles, China has now set its sights on creating a hypersonic aircraft. Should this endeavour prove successful, such an aircraft would possess the capability to circumnavigate the globe in a mere seven hours.
A hypersonic plane, capable of travelling at Mach 4 (four times the speed of sound), is being developed by Beijing-based company Lingkong Tianxing Technology. The company has successfully tested its Yunxing prototype aircraft, a commercial aircraft slated for launch in 2027.
The speed of this hypersonic aircraft will be 3,069 miles per hour, which is approximately 5,000 kilometres per hour. This is almost equivalent to the speed of the retired Concorde aircraft. The supersonic Concorde could fly at a speed of 2,179 kilometres per hour, which is more than twice the speed of sound.
According to numerous media reports, China’s hypersonic aircraft has the potential to travel from London to New York in a mere one and a half to two hours. The Red Dragon programme is reportedly heavily invested in this technology’s development.