Hypersonica, an Anglo-German defense startup, has completed the first flight test of a privately developed hypersonic missile in Europe. The Munich-headquartered company announced that its prototype exceeded Mach 6 (7,409 kilometers/4,604 miles per hour) and demonstrated a range of more than 300 kilometers (186 miles). All onboard systems operated nominally throughout ascent and descent, with subsystem-level validation achieved at hypersonic velocities.
The milestone was reached within nine months of the program’s launch. Under a structured development roadmap extending to 2029, future flight tests will aim to prove sustained hypersonic operation, advanced control at extreme speeds, high-agility maneuvering, and full operational capability. Backed by a recent €23 million ($28 million) funding round, the company plans to scale the prototype into a full-scale missile configuration for testing in the first quarter of fiscal 2026.
According to Hypersonica, the missile’s modular design supports rapid capability enhancements and significantly reduces development timelines and costs—by more than 80 percent compared to traditional acquisition models. Jeannette zu Fürstenberg of General Catalyst highlighted the firm’s “software-enabled mass hardware” strategy, which allows system upgrades through software-driven improvements rather than hardware overhauls. This approach enables more comprehensive simulation and debugging before live trials, thereby accelerating development cycles and reducing technical risk. While specific pricing details have not been released, the company maintains that its projected unit cost is markedly lower than that of comparable legacy systems.
The announcement aligns with Europe’s expanding focus on hypersonic weapons development, including the UK’s ongoing hypersonic cruise missile initiative backed by a £1 billion investment.
