Plus at Mach 10, there’s little time between target acquisition, firing solution, launch, even with Mach-teen missiles.
It’s not like missiles have unlimited range.
Plus being unmanned it likely could manuever much faster, since it doesn’t have to consider sacks of jelly, just airframe capability.
Of course, I’m just speculating. Though range and relative speeds are what the 71 relied on to not be shot down too.
NaibofTabr@infosec.pub 10 months ago
I seriously doubt this thing can maneuver when traveling at its operational speed. Air resistance would be like hitting a brick wall, it would rip apart. Of course it can probably just fly past everything so fast that it doesn’t matter, including air intercept missiles.
It must just eat fuel. I wonder what its expected operating range is. I bet it has to refuel inflight as soon as it gets off the ground and up to cruising altitude, before it can go do anything useful.