European Start-Up Hypersonica Achieves Mach 6 in First Hypersonic Test Flight

Hypersonica, an Anglo-German defence start-up focused on developing what it describes as a sovereign European hypersonic strike capability, has successfully completed its first hypersonic test flight, achieving speeds in excess of Mach 6 and travelling more than 300 kilometres.

The company said the test was conducted on 10 February at Andøya Space in Norway. According to Hypersonica, the flight represents the first time a privately funded European defence company has conducted a hypersonic missile test at this performance level.

Flight Performance and Data Collection

Hypersonica stated that the test vehicle accelerated to speeds above Mach 6—equivalent to more than 7,400 km/h—and completed a full ascent and descent profile through the atmosphere. The company reported that all onboard systems functioned as expected throughout the flight.

Crucially, the test was designed not only to demonstrate speed, but also to validate system behaviour under hypersonic conditions. Hypersonica said performance was assessed down to sub-component level, generating datasets intended to support future design iterations, modelling, and materials analysis.

Development Objectives

The company’s co-founders, Chief Executive Philipp Kerth and Chief Technology Officer Marc Ewenz, described the flight as a significant step toward Hypersonica’s stated goal of fielding a European hypersonic strike capability by 2029.

In a joint statement, they said the successful test demonstrated the feasibility of a faster development cycle for advanced strike systems and challenged prevailing assumptions about the time and cost traditionally associated with hypersonic weapons programmes.

Broader Context

Hypersonic strike capabilities—typically defined as sustained flight above Mach 5 with high manoeuvrability—have become a growing focus for major powers, including the United States, Russia, and China. European states have so far relied largely on government-led research programmes and multinational frameworks, with limited private-sector involvement.

Hypersonica’s test therefore highlights a potential shift in Europe’s defence-industrial landscape, where smaller, privately funded firms seek to complement state-driven efforts by accelerating experimentation and prototype development. While the company has not disclosed the intended configuration or basing concepts of its future system, it has consistently emphasised sovereignty, rapid iteration, and analytical insight into adversary hypersonic technologies.

Next Steps

Hypersonica has not released details on follow-on tests or timelines beyond its 2029 objective. However, the company indicated that data from the Norway flight will directly inform the next phase of vehicle design and performance optimisation.

If sustained, the programme could contribute to Europe’s broader efforts to close the hypersonic capability gap, while providing policymakers with additional options in an increasingly contested high-speed strike environment.