UA, Raytheon Call For Investment In Hypersonic Research

By Nicholas Gerbis
Published: Tuesday, February 25, 2020 - 6:01pm
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The presidents of Raytheon Missile Systems and the University of Arizona are calling for investment in hypersonic research — and the UA wind tunnels.

As the U.S. Department of Defense races to match Russian and Chinese development of hypersonic weapons, Tucson-based Raytheon and UA are moving to improve their positions in the emerging R&D sector.

Hypersonic craft travel at Mach 5, or more than 3,800 miles per hour — too fast for most defensive systems to counter. But testing them will require funding to upgrade UA's wind tunnels.

In an op-ed in the Arizona Capitol Times, UA President Robert Robbins and Raytheon Missile's Wes Kremer argue the defense contractor would benefit from having hypersonic test facilities in its backyard, while the university would profit from access to fees, improved aerospace facilities and the potential to attract space and defense companies.

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