The glider was launched by rocket from a test center in Biscarrosse, in southwestern France. It’s about the VMax project.
The condensation trails were visible in the darkening sky. They were, as it were, in a ‘knot’, the aircraft did not make a linear flight. The images on social media raised questions about the first test of the hypersonic weapon.
According to the newspaper ‘Le Figaro’, the aircraft can outrun the air defenses of potential opponents thanks to its high speed and great maneuverability. The US, China and Russia had already started the ‘hypersonic race’. The French program was launched in 2019. It is led by the French ArianeGroup, known for the Ariane launchers from European space travel.
VMax, in full ‘Véhicule manoeuvrant expérimental’, is first sent high into the atmosphere by a rocket, up to an altitude of almost 100 kilometres. From there, the aircraft can ‘float’ over thousands of kilometers towards the target. An unpredictable trajectory is followed, which makes interception more difficult.