Their incredible speed and unpredictability make it nearly impossible for existing systems to calculate an intercept point.
By Hezy Laing
Hypersonic glide vehicles have evolved from theoretical physics experiments into one of the most destabilizing military threats of the modern era.
Although the concept dates back to Cold War research programs in the 1960s and 1970s, these systems only became militarily viable in the 2010s, when advances in materials science, heat‑resistant composites, and precision guidance finally made sustained hypersonic maneuvering possible.
China’s first successful tests of the DF‑ZF around 2014, followed by Russia’s operational deployment of Avangard in 2019, marked the moment when hypersonic glide vehicles transitioned from experimental curiosities to real-world strategic weapons.
North Korea’s Hwasong‑8 test in 2021 further demonstrated that the technology was proliferating faster than many analysts expected.
The threat posed by these systems is rooted in unforgiving physics.
A hypersonic glide vehicle traveling at Mach 10 covers roughly three kilometers per second, leaving defenders with only minutes to detect, track, and respond.
Unlike traditional ballistic missiles, which follow predictable arcs, glide vehicles detach from their boosters and skim through the upper atmosphere at altitudes between 30 and 70 kilometers, constantly maneuvering laterally.
This unpredictability makes it nearly impossible for existing systems such as THAAD, Aegis, or Patriot PAC‑3 to calculate an intercept point.
The 2023 U.S. Missile Defense Review described hypersonics as “the most stressing challenge to integrated air and missile defense,” acknowledging that even the world’s most advanced militaries lack reliable counters.
In response to this rapidly emerging threat, Israel’s Rafael Advanced Defense Systems has introduced a groundbreaking solution known as Sky Sonic, unveiled at the 2023 Paris Air Show.
Rafael characterizes Sky Sonic as a “sixth‑generation” interceptor specifically engineered to counter hypersonic glide vehicles — one of the first such systems publicly acknowledged outside the United States.
According to Rafael CEO Yoav Har‑Even, the interceptor uses a multi‑stage architecture capable of extreme acceleration, high‑G maneuvering, and real‑time trajectory adaptation powered by advanced sensors and AI‑driven guidance algorithms.
While many details remain classified, the company has confirmed that Sky Sonic is designed to operate within Israel’s multilayered defense network alongside Iron Dome, David’s Sling, Arrow‑2, and Arrow‑3, effectively creating a new upper tier dedicated to hypersonic threats.
Sky Sonic’s development underscores how seriously Israel views the accelerating proliferation of hypersonic weapons, particularly as Iran continues testing faster and more maneuverable missile systems.
With global powers racing to deploy hypersonic arsenals and reaction times shrinking to seconds, Rafael’s new interceptor represents one of the most ambitious attempts yet to close the widening gap between offensive hypersonic capabilities and the world’s aging defensive architecture.
