China’s hypersonic gauntlet spurs work of research precinct

The focus of a new $14m precinct in Queensland is weapons characterised by velocities of more than five times the speed of sound while retaining the ability to manoeuvre unpredictably.

The focus of a new $14m precinct in Queensland is to build hypersonic weapons while retaining the ability to manoeuvre unpredictably

When Joe Biden, Scott Morrison and Boris Johnson jointly announced the accession of hypersonic technology to the AUKUS pact this week – a welcome development, to be sure – few noted the flying start that the complex research has enjoyed in Queensland in recent years.

In January, the Australian Hypersonics Research Precinct in Brisbane was officially opened by Defence Minister Peter Dutton and Chief Defence Scientist Professor Tanya Monro, a ceremony delayed for two years by the Covid-19 pandemic.

The precinct – costing $14m and accommodating more than 60 staff – brings together Defence Science and Technology Group scientists and defence personnel with academics and yet-to-be-announced industry partners.

Its focus is weapons characterised by velocities of more than five times the speed of sound while retaining the ability to manoeuvre unpredictably.

Such weapons have only officially entered service in China and Russia.

According to Professor Monro, the new precinct is a response to Australia’s changed strategic circumstances and represents her organisation’s confidence to develop capabilities that can deter adversaries or deliver response if required.

“The precinct allows our researchers to quickly prototype hypersonic test vehicles and technologies that can then be flown at Woomera,” she says.

“Some of this key infrastructure was previously in a university environment, so we’ve brought it into a defence environment and put the right security around it, so that we can do everything from the unclassified basic work right through to the much more sensitive stuff.”

And while the ceremonial opening of the facility might have been much delayed, the scientists themselves have been moving the research forward at something akin to mach speed, most significantly with successful test flights of hypersonic technologies.

“Late last year, Defence Science and Technology Group personnel here at Eagle Farm contributed to a highly successful defence flight trial as part of the program aimed to counter hypersonic threats,” Mr Dutton revealed.

“The technology that is developed here will help us to better defend against the malign use of this technology and give us the ability to strike any potential adversaries from a distance and deter aggression against Australia’s national interests.”

Such trials have been far from an overnight success; nor have they been achieved in a vacuum, with significant US collaboration. DSTG first began officially researching hypersonic flight in 2012 when it launched its Hypersonic International Flight Research Experimentation (HIFiRE) program.

In 2020, Australia and the US signed a collaborative agreement to develop and test hypersonic cruise missile prototypes under the Southern Cross Integrated Flight Research Experiment (SCIFiRE). Queensland has developed a strong reputation for hypersonic research, notably The University of Queensland and the University of Southern Queensland.

Indisputably, it is the gauntlet thrown down by China and Russia with offensive hypersonic weapons which has spurred this pledge of even greater collaboration under AUKUS. China’s test of a hypersonic weapon last year was declared nothing less than a “Sputnik moment” – a shock to the system – by the US chairman of the Joint Chiefs, General Mark Milley. And considerable consternation was also apparent last month when Russia reportedly employed its first hypersonic weapons in combat against Ukraine.

The White House’s explicit reference to “counter-hypersonics” is instructive, and a focus on the defensive applications has been evident in the agenda at Eagle Farm.

While missile defences have been refined over many decades to address ballistic threats, adapting to hypersonic missiles has proven difficult due to their ability to conceal their ultimate target until the last seconds through manoeuvre, and dramatically reducing a target nation’s decision and response time due to their speed.

Current counter-hypersonic capabilities are limited.

Speaking earlier this year at the American Society of Naval Engineers, US Vice Admiral Jon Hill, director of the Missile Defense Agency, said the non-hypersonic Raytheon SM-6 missile was “really the nation’s only hypersonic defence capability”.

The US has approved Australia’s request to buy the SM-6 for deployment on the future Hunter Class frigates.

It comes as Mr Dutton also announced a $3.5bn commitment earlier this week for Joint Air-to-Surface Standoff Missiles (JASSM-ER) for the RAAF’s Super Hornets, Naval Strike Missiles for the Hobart-class Destroyers and Anzac Frigates, and advanced sea mines.

Mr Dutton also named US defence giants Raytheon and Lockheed Martin as key partners in Australia’s sovereign missile manufacturing plans.