Missile launch failure

A new flight test of a prototype hypersonic missile, which the US intends to install on submarines and its newest destroyers, has ended in failure due to a problem encountered during a launch attempt. This was reported by Bloomberg news agency on Thursday, citing a statement from the US Department of Defense.

"The failure occurred after the engine on the prototype was turned on," the agency quoted a US Navy spokesman as saying.

The test took place in Hawaii on Wednesday, he said, without giving further details. Meanwhile, he stressed that the Pentagon is still capable of "deploying offensive and defensive hypersonic assets" on schedule. The Navy has assured that experts will check and determine exactly what led to the failure.

According to Bloomberg, it is a test of non-nuclear Conventional Prompt Strike (CPS). The United States is planning to install this missile on the newest low-intensity Zumwalt DDG-1000 destroyers and also on Virginia submarines.

Also, according to the agency, there was a second failed test of the missile on 29 June the first was in October 2021, during the first flight test. The missile failed to take off then due to a malfunction of the launch vehicle.