Last night, in Hawaii, the United States successfully launched across the Pacific Ocean a land-based common hypersonic glide body (C-HGB) it developed in less than a year. A powerful combination of the U.S. Navy’s submarine booster rocket and the U.S. Army’s land launcher with their C-HGB that bounces between the upper atmosphere and space to further increase its speed and choosing an entry point to come in at the target at 20 times the speed of sound (Mach 20) and greater. There is no missile defense system from sensor to interceptor in the world, including the United States, that has been developed and is capable of defeating hypersonic glide vehicles (HGVs) like the C-HGB.

This event sets the hyper pace that the United States has set in joint cross-domain rapid acquisition and development for future systems in the Department of Defense and sends an unequivocally clear strategic message to China and Russia in this vulnerable time for the United States and the world in fighting the pandemic of the Coronavirus.

As we hold safe and secure the borders of our sanctuaries – whether they be our homes, our cities, our states, and our nations – to quarantine against the Coronavirus, we must be vigilant and strong to defend these same sanctuaries from those that may seek an advantage of the strife and economic loss to change the status quo.

An unbeatable offense, integrated with a great defense secures our freedoms, our prosperity, and our resilience to overcome.