Beijing Firm's Hypersonic Breakthrough Cuts Missile Costs by 90%, Enters Mass Production
- MM24 News Desk
- 17 minutes ago
- 3 min read
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Beijing-based Lingkong Tianxing Technology has become the world's first private company to begin mass production of a low-cost hypersonic missile, slashing production costs to just one-tenth that of traditional missiles. The firm released video evidence of its YKJ-1000 missile successfully striking a desert target while traveling at speeds between Mach 5 and Mach 7, signaling a seismic shift in defense industrial capabilities.
The recently published video demonstrates the complete operational sequence of this groundbreaking weapon system. The missile's launch vehicle is ingeniously designed to resemble a standard shipping container, providing unprecedented deployment flexibility. In the demonstration, a truck transported the system to a desert launch site where it automatically deployed stabilizer supports from its four corners, transforming from concealed transport to launch-ready posture in minutes, according to the company.
What makes this development truly revolutionary isn't just the missile's performance but its radical affordability. A company representative stated that by adopting readily available civilian components—including automotive-grade chips, leveraging established automotive production lines, and utilizing civilian construction materials—they've achieved what defense giants have struggled with for decades: making hypersonic technology accessible. "Our core mission is to turn advanced equipment from a 'luxury item' into something affordable enough to be widely used," the representative explained.
The YKJ-1000 boasts an impressive operational range between 500 to 1,300 kilometers and maintains powered flight for six minutes. Animated segments within the video indicated the missile's ability to identify targets mid-flight and autonomously evade threats, suggesting capability to penetrate sophisticated defensive screens such as naval carrier strike groups or integrated air defense systems. Actual footage confirmed the weapon successfully striking a ground target after executing a steep dive maneuver.
Perhaps most strikingly, the presentation included animation depicting eight missiles flying in formation toward Japan, with multiple strike locations marked on a map to highlight the weapon's operational range and coordinated strike capability.
This visualization underscores the system's potential for swarm tactics, a concept the company is actively developing further. The representative confirmed they're now focusing on an intelligent version integrated with artificial intelligence and enhanced swarm coordination capabilities.
This achievement stands in stark contrast to United States efforts, which have consumed decades and tens of billions of dollars through programs led by defense giants like Boeing and Lockheed Martin, yet are only now approaching initial hypersonic capability. The Chinese firm's breakthrough suggests the country may be entering an era where advanced weaponry can be mass-produced with the efficiency of consumer drones and electric vehicles.
The technological foundation for this success comes from the company's established expertise. The YKJ-1000's design resembles Lingkong Tianxing's earlier Yunxing series of aircraft, featuring a waverider configuration on top that houses a rocket engine, while the lower section maintains a cylindrical shape similar to conventional boosters.
Company representatives stated they've established an independent technology chain covering aerodynamics, control systems, thermal protection, and propulsion, and have obtained relevant military industry certifications.
In a November 1 article on its social media account, the company articulated its vision of global defense systems shifting from "long-cycle, high-cost and highly specialized" to "low-cost, large-scale and autonomously intelligent" models.
They argue future warfare will rely less on one or two expensive platforms and more on smart, uncrewed swarms—coordinated groups of low-cost, autonomous systems similar to a bee colony. This philosophical approach, combined with their practical achievements, positions them alongside American "new defense" companies like Palantir Technologies and Anduril Industries.
Looking beyond military applications, Lingkong Tianxing Technology is also developing a civilian aircraft capable of sustained flight above Mach 5, with the ambitious goal of achieving "global reach within one hour."
A test flight is projected for 2027, with a full-scale vehicle expected to complete flight tests by 2030. As private companies like this one demonstrate the ability to rapidly advance and democratize technologies once reserved for superpower governments, the very nature of global security and technological competition may be undergoing its own hypersonic transformation.