Pentagon’s Hypersonic Drone Hits Mach 5 in Record-Breaking Tests

A California-based startup pulled off two hypersonic flights of its reusable aircraft, which became the first fully autonomous drone to reach Mach 5 speeds. Stratolaunch’s Talon-A2 completed a series of test flights for the Pentagon’s Missile Defense Agency, part of a hypersonic testbed program that echoes Cold War-era efforts like the X-15, which retired in 1968. The hypersonic vehicle exceeded Mach 5 speeds during the tests that took place in December 2024 and March 2025, Stratolaunch revealed this week. “We’ve now demonstrated hypersonic speed, added the complexity of a full runway landing with prompt payload recovery, and proven reusability,” Zachary Krevor, president and CEO of Stratolaunch, said in a statement. The Talon-A prototype is an autonomous, reusable aircraft capable of flying at least five times the speed of sound. During its test flights, Roc—the largest airplane ever built—released the vehicle over the Pacific Ocean. Stratolaunch’s Roc took off with Talon-A1 tucked ... Read full article.