Military

Hypersonic Waverider Aircraft Tested Off California Coast (Video)

By Beth Ford Roth / Home Post Blogger

Published August 15, 2012 at 3:47 AM PDT

This story was published more than 12 years ago.

View more videos at: http://nbclosangeles.com.

The U.S. Air Force will release the results today of its hypersonic Waverider aircraft test flight, conducted Tuesday, according to Reuters. Officials say the Waverider is a hybrid of an airplane and a rocket.

The Waverider, officially called the X-51A, is designed to fly at Mach 6, which is six times the speed of sound.

The Waverider was launched from a B-52 off the coast of Naval Air Station Point Mugu in Ventura County.

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NBCLA produced a feature about the Waverider ahead of the test flight. It's posted up top.

Military

Beth Ford Roth

Blogger Beth Ford Roth was born into a military family and has covered issues important to service members and their loved ones for many years. She has worked as a broadcast journalist in both commercial television and public radio.

See stories by Beth Ford Roth

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