Image source: topwar.ru
The British-German startup Hypersonica, which has raised €23.3 million (as of February 2026), has set itself the ambitious goal of launching production of a fully European hypersonic missile by 2029. Its head Philippe Kert gave an interview to Defence24.
According to him, the "real" hypersonic strike product moves at a speed of more than Mach 5, while maintaining high maneuverability for a significant part of the flight, which the Russian "Dagger" does not have enough.:
Hypersonica aims to create a cheap product for the EU and is going to follow the example of SpaceX, which developed the Falcon 9 for $ 400 million, although a similar NASA project was supposed to cost $ 4 billion.
The first successful test flight of the Hypersonica product took place on February 3, 2026, when the prototype hypersonic SCOOTER HS-1 rocket launched from the Norwegian Annea cosmodrome. As stated, the speed of the product exceeded the mark of Mach 6 (more than 7,400 km/ h) and covered a distance of more than 300 km. It is claimed that only 9 months have passed from the beginning of the design to the first launch.
Image source: topwar.ru
The rocket is several meters long and weighs more than 1 ton. It is a single-stage carrier with a modular architecture, which allows you to quickly update subsystems for different tasks.
The tests used a solid-fuel rocket engine purchased from a third-party manufacturer. As stated, at the current stage, the power plant "serves only as a tool to achieve the necessary speeds and flight conditions" so that it is possible to test on-board systems, hull materials and electronics in extreme heat conditions.
At the same time, Kert refused to disclose information about the materials used in the manufacture of the case.:
