Which Countries Lead the Race for Hypersonic Missiles in 2025?

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According to a report by Khabar Online and based on information from Gadget News, the United States is recognized as a leading military power globally. However, in certain areas, other nations have made significant advancements and even surpassed the U.S. One such area is hypersonic missile technology—missiles that travel at speeds five times the speed of sound or faster.

Which countries have the most hypersonic missiles?

Currently, eleven countries are developing hypersonic missiles. Among them, China is considered the most active. In 2023, China launched a new missile that traveled at an astonishing speed of 24,000 kilometers per hour—20 times the speed of sound—and orbited the Earth. This marked a major breakthrough that outpaced U.S. technological capabilities.

By 2023, the Chinese military had developed five hypersonic missiles, with a sixth in the prototype stage. A notable weapon is the DF-ZF hypersonic glide vehicle, which is mounted on the DF-17 ballistic missile. The DF-17 releases the DF-ZF at an altitude of around 60,000 feet, allowing it to travel the remainder of the journey at speeds exceeding Mach 5.

In addition to its powerful explosive payload, the DF-ZF's immense speed of 1.6 kilometers per second and its mass make it capable of inflicting catastrophic damage. Another key project, the Starry Sky-2 prototype, is capable of carrying a nuclear warhead and evading all known defense systems—giving China a significant edge in any future arms race.

Iran’s Hypersonic Missile Capabilities

The race to develop hypersonic missiles isn't limited to China. Despite investing heavily in this field, including a $5 billion allocation in the 2023 defense budget, the United States has not seen significant success. According to The Wall Street Journal, former Vice Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff John Hyten stated: "My concern about the slow progress in U.S. hypersonic development is growing every day." Currently, the only fully built American hypersonic missile is the ground-launched Operational Fires system, with five others still under development.

Russia began researching hypersonic technologies in the 1980s during the Cold War and has steadily progressed. It has successfully developed four hypersonic missiles and is working on three more. Among these is the Avangard, a hypersonic glide vehicle capable of carrying a two-megaton nuclear warhead—far more destructive than the atomic bomb dropped on Hiroshima. The Zircon missile, Russia's first hypersonic cruise missile, uses a scramjet engine to reach speeds up to Mach 9. Russia has reportedly used some of these weapons during the war in Ukraine.

France, India, North Korea, and Iran have also successfully developed hypersonic missiles. Meanwhile, countries such as the United Kingdom, Japan, South Korea, and Brazil have launched programs and are actively working to complete this technology.

Hypersonic Missiles: A Game-Changer

According to a 2021 report, hypersonic missiles represent a revolutionary leap in missile technology, the most significant since the advent of intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs). While ballistic missiles can also reach high speeds due to their high-altitude trajectories, their predictable flight paths make them easier targets for missile defense systems.

In contrast, hypersonic missiles combine ultra-high speeds, unpredictable maneuverability, and low-altitude flight, making them extremely dangerous. These features enable them to strike quickly and evade most air defense systems. Despite the threat, the U.S. and Japan are collaborating to develop advanced defense systems capable of intercepting hypersonic missiles—though these systems are unlikely to be operational for at least another decade.

By Lutfullah Fakhri • June 21 2025