Lockheed XQM-60 "Kingfisher" the early version of hypersonic cruise missiles

Lockheed XQM-60 "Kingfisher"
(Picture I)

http://crisisofdemocracticstates.blogspot.fi/p/lockheed-xqm-60-kingfisher-early.html

Kimmo Huosionmaa

I found an article at Internet or Wikipedia, where was told a story of XQM-60 "Kingfisher" target drone, what had the capacity to speed of mach 4,3. This ramjet- propelled drone was in operational in 1951, and this thing was meant that the United States Air Force had the capacity to make hypersonic cruise missiles in 1950's.


In this drone had the same capacity to strike targets than some Tomahawk cruise missile. This kind of drones was officially made for anti-ballistic missile simulations, but there are so many details in this drones history, that I think the real purpose of that project was creating the very fast missile, what had the capacity to destroy targets by using kinetic energy. That means that "Kingfisher" might use as the model to create those extreme powerful missiles, what have the capacity to destroy specific targets in the enemy ground.


When we are looking at the United States reactions for China and Russian attempt to create those weapons, we must consider that the USA doesn't say anything about this kind of things. But when we are thinking about the procedures of the military forces way to give information, we must consider that they would give only the information, what is necessary to give. This means that the first hypersonic cruise missiles might fly in 1960's in the nose of some Nike-Hercules rocket. But this is only the thoughts about this drone.


We must remember that also "Tomahawk"-cruise missile started its career as the BQM-109 target drone, and when this drone was equipped with the nuclear warhead, it became BGM-109 "Tomahawk", what is the primary long-range weapon in the United States Navy. And maybe the name "Kingfisher" was meant to warn the enemies of United States, that this drone can drive to impact the enemy warships and bunkers. And the kinetic energy would destroy that target without warning if the nose of the missile would use Stealth technology for avoiding the radar of the targeted warship. Also, active ECM-system might be used to make sure that the missile would hit the target.

Sources:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lockheed_AQM-60_Kingfisher

Picture I

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/e/ea/Aqm-60a.jpg/300px-Aqm-60a.jpg

http://crisisofdemocracticstates.blogspot.fi/p/lockheed-xqm-60-kingfisher-early.html