Hypersonic missiles have become a technology of key interest for major world powers in their quest to achieve strategic advantage. China, Russia, and the United States have all made efforts to attain these weapons, which can fly several times faster than the speed of sound while retaining maneuverability in flight. France is the latest country to begin efforts to develop such weapons. The French Defense Ministry is seeking to upgrade France's nuclear arsenal and it views hypersonics as being a key component of this upgrade. It also stated that with the race to develop these weapons well underway, France could not afford to wait to begin its own development of these systems.
