 "Representational image of a supersonic missile")
Chinese scientists have successfully tested a design for a new kind of missile, a prototype of a morphing hypersonic vehicle, that can actually change its shape while flying at speeds more than five times the speed of sound (Mach 5).
This technology is a huge deal because it solves a long-standing challenge in aviation: how to fly extremely fast while also being able to turn quickly.
Wings that appear and disappear
The new missile, developed by a team from the People’s Liberation Army’s top military technology university (NUDT), features wings that can move—a design that greatly boosts its performance.
When the missile needs maximum speed, the wings fold back into the body, making it sleek like a needle and allowing it to slice through the air with minimal resistance.
But when it needs to dodge anti-missile systems or strike a target, the wings extend outward, giving it the agility to make sharp turns and sudden altitude changes, making it extremely difficult to intercept.
How they pulled it off
Controlling a structure that is moving and changing shape at such high speeds—where the air friction can heat the surface to over 2,000°C—is extremely difficult. The slightest wobble could destroy the missile.
The Chinese team cracked this problem by using a very advanced computer programme called “super-twisting sliding mode control.” This smart system manages the movement of the wings perfectly, preventing any harmful shaking or loss of control. The team confirmed the system works using detailed ground tests.
Why this matters for the world
This shape-shifting technology could completely change military strategy.
Right now, defence systems try to guess where a high-speed missile is going so they can shoot it down. But a missile that can suddenly change its flight path is impossible to predict.
Experts believe this new design could allow China to build weapons that are much more effective at striking major targets, like aircraft carriers, from long distances, setting a new, challenging standard in global military technology.