The Hypersonic Imperative – Atlantic Council Hypersonic Capabilities Task Force

Why It Matters

Without rapid hypersonic capability, the U.S. risks losing deterrence and strategic advantage, threatening global stability and ally confidence.

Key Takeaways

• Adversaries are rapidly fielding operational hypersonic weapons that challenge U.S. dominance
• Hypersonic missiles can strike targets 500 m away in under ten minutes
• Task force urges centralized leadership and integrated procurement for hypersonic programs
• Rapid deployment of first‑generation systems and affordable next‑gen development prioritized
• Allied co‑development and layered defense essential for future deterrence

Summary

The Atlantic Council’s Hypersonic Capabilities Task Force warns that the United States is losing its air‑power edge as rivals accelerate hypersonic missile development, and it calls for an urgent “hypersonic imperative” to restore deterrence.

The briefing cites Russia’s use of missiles in Ukraine, Iran’s strikes on Israel, and Houthi attacks in the Red Sea as evidence that faster, longer‑range strike weapons are reshaping conflict. A hypersonic missile can travel 500 m in under ten minutes, versus conventional missiles that take over an hour, giving adversaries the ability to hit high‑value targets before defenses react.

Task force leaders stress that hypersonics “amplify” existing systems, offering precision, reduced risk to aircraft and ships, and the political option to act decisively. They quote the president’s “peace through strength” doctrine, arguing that credible, rapid strike capability forces opponents to reconsider fighting.

The report recommends three actions: create a centralized authority for hypersonic acquisition, field first‑generation weapons while aggressively developing affordable next‑generation designs, and build an integrated layered‑defeat strategy with allied co‑development. Implementing these steps would preserve U.S. strategic dominance, protect allies, and shape the future battlespace.

Original Description

The Atlantic Council's Forward Defense program is pleased to present the Hypersonic Capabilities Task Force.

Hypersonic weapons, capable of traveling at more than five times the speed of sound, represent a paradigm shift in modern warfare. China and Russia have developed advanced hypersonic systems capable of both nuclear and conventional strikes, threatening US forces, allies, and the homeland. Meanwhile, the United States continues to face significant challenges in prioritizing, funding, and fielding its own hypersonic capabilities at the speed the threat demands.

The final report of the Hypersonic Capabilities Task Force provides a clear-eyed assessment of this challenge and a comprehensive roadmap for action. Drawing on months of research and consultation with former senior government officials, defense industry leaders, and policy experts, the report outlines ten concrete recommendations for the Pentagon and Congress to accelerate the fielding of hypersonic strike weapons and counter-hypersonic defenses and presents an integrated framework for how those capabilities should be employed.

The United States must act decisively now to close the hypersonic gap and preserve its military edge in an era of intensifying great-power competition.

The work of the Atlantic Council Hypersonic Capabilities Task Force has been made possible through the support of Amaero, Booz Allen Hamilton, GE Aerospace, Hadrian, Hermeus, Kratos, Lockheed Martin, Nominal, RTX, Specter Aerospace, and Ursa Major. The Atlantic Council maintains strict intellectual independence for all of its projects and publications.

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