Stealth vs. Hypersonics: The Strategic Divide in Modern Air Warfare
In this episode, ESPIRIDI examines one of the most consequential debates shaping contemporary and future air power: stealth versus hypersonic speed as competing—and increasingly complementary—approaches to penetrating modern air defences.
As integrated air and missile defence systems grow denser, faster, and more networked, military designers face a fundamental choice. Should strike platforms seek to remain unseen, relying on low observability through airframe shaping and radar-absorbent materials? Or should they aim to be unstoppable, using extreme velocity and manoeuvrability to overwhelm interception timelines, even at the cost of high visibility?
Drawing on real-world examples such as the AGM-158 JASSM and Russia’s 3M22 Zircon, this discussion unpacks the physics, sensor interactions, and operational trade-offs behind both design philosophies. We explore why stealth assets become fragile once detected, how hypersonic vehicles survive through speed rather than concealment, and why plasma sheaths, infrared signatures, and sensor fusion redefine survivability in contested airspace.
The episode ultimately argues that modern warfare is not moving toward a single dominant solution. Instead, stealth and hypersonics function as dual pressures on defensive systems—forcing adversaries to prepare simultaneously for threats that are either invisible or impossible to intercept.
This is a critical listen for defence professionals, policymakers, aerospace engineers, and strategic analysts seeking to understand how air dominance is being reshaped in an era of sensor saturation, compressed decision cycles, and accelerating technological competition.
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For more information please contact: Lynn Frederick Dsouza, Founder & Director — ESPIRIDI, Email: lynn.dsouza@espiridi.com or visit espiridi.com
