BEIJING: Chinese scientists are working on the development of a supersonic anti-ship missile capable of diving underwater and hitting targets, according to the South China Morning Post.
According to the paper quoting the research team, the 16.4-foot missile will be able to fly at more than twice the speed of sound at an altitude of about 10 kilometers (6.2 miles) before diving underwater and floating for 20 kilometers.
When the missile is within 10 kilometers of its target, it enters torpedo mode and charges at about 100 meters per second (200 knots), creating an air bubble that greatly reduces resistance. .
In addition, the missile will be able to change course or crash dive to a depth of up to 100 meters to evade underwater defense systems without losing speed. According to scientists, no ship can currently respond to such a quick "cross-media" attack, according to the newspaper.
The main challenge before the scientists is to develop a fuel system that is powerful enough for the planned maneuvers. Researchers believe that boron can be used as a fuel component because it reacts violently with both air and water, producing a tremendous amount of heat.
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