U.S. Unveils New Hypersonic Missile to Compete with China and Russia

The "Angry Tortoise" could restore America's edge in the global hypersonic arms race.

Published on Feb. 27, 2026

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The U.S. Air Force Research Laboratory has debuted a new hypersonic missile called the "Angry Tortoise" that uses an innovative liquid-fueled engine to achieve high speeds and maneuverability. This weapon could help the U.S. catch up to China and Russia, which are believed to have operational hypersonic missiles. The Angry Tortoise is scheduled for its first test launch in December 2026 at the White Sands Missile Range in New Mexico.

Why it matters

The U.S. has fallen behind its adversaries in the development of hypersonic weapons, which can travel at over five times the speed of sound and potentially destroy targets like aircraft carriers. The Angry Tortoise's advanced engine could give the U.S. a new edge in this critical area of military technology.

The details

The Angry Tortoise uses a novel liquid-fueled engine called Draper, developed by aerospace company Ursa Major. This engine allows the missile to change trajectory during flight, unlike Russia's Kinzhal missile which is more of a ballistic missile. The Draper engine is also 3D-printed for lower cost. Previous U.S. hypersonic programs have faced setbacks, but the Angry Tortoise is being fast-tracked as a demonstration project.

  • The Angry Tortoise is scheduled to conduct its first test launch in December 2026 at the White Sands Missile Range in New Mexico.
  • Ursa Major plans to test the Angry Tortoise at long range over the Pacific Ocean sometime in 2026.

The players

Ursa Major

An aerospace company based in Colorado that developed the Draper liquid-fueled engine used in the Angry Tortoise hypersonic missile.

Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL)

The U.S. Air Force's research organization that debuted the Angry Tortoise hypersonic missile project.

Jeffrey Lewis, PhD

An expert at the James Martin Center for Nonproliferation Studies in Monterey, California who has analyzed Russia's Kinzhal hypersonic missile.

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What they’re saying

“[It's] nothing more than an air-launched ballistic missile. It's only hypersonic in the sense that pretty much all ballistic missiles are hypersonic.”

— Jeffrey Lewis, PhD, Expert, James Martin Center for Nonproliferation Studies (Popular Mechanics)

“The project name is a playful jab at the Air Force's failure to keep up in the international hypersonics race.”

— Nils Sedano, Technical Advisor, Air Force Research Laboratory (Aviation Week)

What’s next

The Angry Tortoise will conduct its first test launch at White Sands Missile Range in December 2026, where it is expected to reach speeds of around Mach 2. If successful, Ursa Major plans to test the missile at longer ranges over the Pacific Ocean later in 2026.

The takeaway

The development of the Angry Tortoise hypersonic missile represents a critical effort by the U.S. to regain its edge in this emerging area of military technology, where China and Russia have made significant advances in recent years. The innovative engine design and rapid development timeline could give the U.S. a new capability to counter the threat posed by adversary hypersonic weapons.