McLaren to partner with British Defence Ministry in its hypersonic missile development program

What does a car manufacturer whose models race past the tracks in a Formula One race and the manufacturer of a hypersonic missile have in common? To a layman this may be like comparing oranges to apples. It has now emerged in various news reports that the Formula One team McLaren will be collaborating with the British Ministry of Defence on its hypersonic missile program. The car maker will be amongst other things advising the Ministry of Defence on matters pertaining to optimizing supply chain relationships. The details of the cooperation remain vague and this comes in the midst of an arms race in the manufacturing and innovation in the field of hypersonic missiles.

Details of the cooperation:

The Accelerator team of McLaren and the defence ministry’s hypersonic department will be collaborating. The car manufacturer confirmed that they are not in the business of production of hypersonic missiles. This project will see the car brand share their knowledge of high-performance environments among others.

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The car maker will be teaching the ministry on harnessing innovation, digital decision making and improving team capabilities from their experiences. It is to achieve a high performance culture and promote operational efficiency in the team which is manufacturing the hypersonic missiles.

Hypersonic missiles:

The government had faced severe criticism on its high defense spending. These missiles can glide through while traveling faster than Mach 5. This is five times the speed of sound and difficult to intercept. It has been designed to reach faster speeds than normal cruise missiles. It is considered to be part of the modern defence system.

Arms race:

This development by Britain comes in the midst of efforts by Russia and China to develop hypersonic missiles. In 2022, China tested two of its hypersonic missiles. A number of Russian missiles have been downed by the US Patriot Rocket system. Putin has denied these developments. It has been reported by the Sun.

FAQs:

Does the US have a hypersonic missile?
China and Russia claim to have hypersonic missiles. The US still does not have these modern weapons.

When is the next Formula taking place?
It is being held from June 5-7, 2024. It is being held in Great Britain. McLaren will seek to reach the podium position.