DARPA, Army Select These Three Companies For Hypersonic Missile Propulsion

A joint program by the Defense Advanced Research Project Agency (DARPA)/ US Army Operational Fires (OpFires) has picked a total of three defense companies to develop and demonstrate a novel ground-launched system enabling hypersonic boost-glide weapons to penetrate the world's most advanced air defenses and quickly and accurately engage critical time-sensitive enemy targets.

Aerojet Rocketdyne, Exquadrum, and Sierra Nevada Corporation have each received contracts to immediately start work on design and development for the next generation of propulsion systems that will power America's hypersonic weapons, DARPA announced on Friday. DARPA/OpFires program manager US Army major Amber Walker said: “OpFires represents a critical capability development in support of the Army's investments in long-range precision fires." “These awards are the first step in the process to deliver this capability in support of US overmatch," Walker added.

DARPA/OpFires program plans for a mobile ground-based launch system, plus propulsion systems that will launch hypersonic missiles at land-based targets. The proposed system would be able to fire various payloads at several ranges depending on the mission specifications.

Phase I of the program will be a 12-month effort designed on early development and demonstration of booster rockets that provide thrust propulsion for hypersonic missiles.

Phase II will enhance designs and demonstrate performance with live and static fire tests, which are anticipated to be performed in late 2020.

Phase III will focus on weapon system integration, will then be followed by flight tests in 2022.

JP Morgan released a report back in September that outlined the hypersonic weapons industry, and identified all the defense companies as key players in the sector, with Lockheed Martin in the lead. "While sales are still modest, we see substantial growth potential by the mid-2020s to [greater than $5 billion], perhaps significantly more," J.P. Morgan analyst Seth Seifman said in a note. Seifman cited Michael Griffin, under secretary of Defense for researching and engineering, saying Griffin "believes that hypersonics development is currently the highest technical priority for the Pentagon."

A hypersonic missile can travel Mach 5 or higher. That is more than five times the speed of sound, which means the projectile can penetrate the world's most advanced air defense systems. "Today's cruise missiles generally reach speeds near but not greater than Mach 1, while ballistic missiles accelerate to supersonic speeds but fly on predictable paths," Seifman said. "Hypersonic weapons, however, are maneuverable and cruise at lower altitudes, making them more difficult to counter."

Russia and China are the global leaders in hypersonic development, Air Force General John Hyten told the Senate Armed Services Committee in March. "We [US] don't have any defense that could deny the employment of such a weapon against us," Hyten warned. And While DARPA/OpFires race to develop hypersonic technology by selecting three companies that could have a working missile by 2022, it seems that Russia and China are light years ahead in development.

https://www.zerohedge.com/news/2018-11-13/darpa-army-select-these-three-companies-hypersonic-missile-propulsion

>>3947320

Is there a message with the 5 fingers sticking out of his pocket?

San Fran Uber Drivers Selling Respirator Masks As Wildfires Destroy Air Quality

As California's deadliest wildfire continues to ravage the northern half of the state, San Francisco residents are choking on some of the unhealthiest air in the world. In order to provide a solution to choked out locals, one Uber driver was spotted selling N95 respirator masks for $5 each, way above the market rate of $1.39 each from Home Depot. That said, the masks are sold out at many local stores according to Recode, so passengers may be more than happy to shell out the extra money to protect their lungs.

Others aren't so keen on the idea. This isn’t the first time drivers for ride-sharing apps have sold products out of their cars. Uber even facilitates it in some cities. But unlike the selling of candy or iPhone chargers, some could argue there’s a sinister aspect to profiting from the chaos of environmental catastrophe — a case of what author Naomi Klein famously termed disaster capitalism. Others would say it’s a smart example of entrepreneurism by people just trying to make a living — especially considering that half of Uber drivers in the U.S. make less than $10 an hour after expenses, according to a recent study. -Recode

you bet you ass if they charged me $5 for a mask I would buy it then report them to uber and give them 1 star https://t.co/GE5SIVIM0l — Brian MacDonald (@bmacdonald415) November 17, 2018

Not all Uber drivers have the same entrepreneurial spirit, however, as Recode's Shirin Ghaffary notes that at least one Uber driver reportedly gave a rider a mask for free. It’s so bad that the Uber driver gave me an air filter mask. He has a bulk box of them to give to his passengers. — Valerie Fx Williamson (@Valtoid) November 15, 2018

Bay Area air quality levels during the Camp Fire have been in the "unhealthy" range of 151-200 on the US EPA's Air Quality Index, which means that prolonged exposure can harm even healthy people. As of Saturday morning, the death toll in the Camp Fire stood at 71, making it the deadliest fire in California state history. Meanwhile, over 1,000 people remain unaccounted for. The blaze is currently 55% contained and has scorched 148,000 acres.

https://www.zerohedge.com/news/2018-11-17/san-francisco-uber-drivers-selling-respirator-masks-wildfires-ruin-air-quality