"For a second time in its race with Russia and China" .. America fails to test a hypersonic missile

A US hypersonic missile test failed, due to a launch problem, according to the US Department of Defense.

"The malfunction occurred after the engine was started," a Pentagon spokesman, Tim Gorman, said, according to Bloomberg.

America is racing against time with countries such as Russia and China developing advanced systems designed to avoid strikes by flying at more than five times the speed of sound, and slipping into a maneuverable path to launch nuclear warheads.

According to the US Department of Defense, the test-fired missile took place in Hawaii, and only indicated that "the administration remains confident that it is on the right track with regard to supremacy in the field of supersonic weapons, whether offensive or defensive."

This test is the second failed attempt within the "traditional rapid strike" project, after the efforts of the workers on the previous missile failed to launch it last October.

The US military plans to install the advanced missiles on the Zumolt destroyers and Virginia-class submarines.

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