Is the US Mako Missile ‘Hypersonic’ in Name Only?

Lockheed Martin and CoAspire showcased their new rocket as a hypersonic wonder-weapon. But military observers doubt the missile will make a splash.

A new allegedly hypersonic American missile, named after the fast-swimming mako shark, was put on display at the Sea Air Space 2024 conference. The rocket was initially developed for the US Air Force's Stand In Attack Weapon (SiAW) program by Lockheed Martin and CoAspire; a $705 million contract was ultimately awarded to Northrop Grumman last September.

What's known about the weapon so far?

Much ado about nothing: Is the US Mako missile truly ‘hypersonic’ or just in name only?

An allegedly new hypersonic American missile named after the fastest shark, Mako, has been put on display at the Sea Air Space 2024 conference.

What's known about the projectile so far?… pic.twitter.com/Cpih0FPTA4

— Sputnik (@SputnikInt) April 18, 2024

Commenting on the rocket's specifications, US military observers have drawn attention to the fact that arming the F-35 with up to six Mako missiles will provide the stealth warplane with unique fighting capabilities.

"Should Mako be procured, an internally carried hypersonic weapon would greatly expand the capabilities of the F-35," wrote Stefano D'Urso for TheAviationist.

The F-35 project has long been mired in scandals over cost overruns, and arming it with allegedly hypersonic missiles is seen as a good selling point by some American military observers.

However their Russian counterparts are skeptical, insisting there are many unknowns about the rocket, which is still undergoing testing.

Speaking to TWZ, Lockheed Martin’s Rob Osterhoud shied away from discussing Mako's flight profile type as well as its maneuverability, generating suspicion the rocket isn't all it's cracked up to be.

"A hypersonic missile executes anti-missile maneuvers at hypersonic speeds" to avoid interception, Konstantin Sivkov, corresponding member of the Russian Academy of Rocket and Artillery Sciences, explained to Sputnik. "It follows a quasi-ballistic trajectory, that is, it maneuvers along a trajectory." It is unclear if Mako is able to maintain "hypersonic" speeds throughout its final phase of flight.

While Mako is said to gain Mach 5 during a certain portion of its flight it's unclear whether the rocket will retain "hypersonic" speeds during the final phase of its flight. If it doesn’t, it will easily fall prey to modern air defense systems.

"No one saw [Mako] in action or during the trials," Viktor Litovkin, retired Russian Army colonel and military analyst, told Sputnik. "So far the Americans have not made hypersonic missiles. They tested rockets that fly at a maximum speed of Mach 5. The Russian Kinzhal (lit. 'Dagger') flies at speeds of Mach 10-12. It has already proven effective. We saw it in action in Ukraine, when it destroyed underground concrete storage facilities (…) and obliterated Patriot [missile defense systems] provided by the US to Ukraine in Kiev and Kharkov"

US defense contractors are undertaking a number of hypersonic projects, but nothing matching Russia's Kinzhal, Zircon or Avangard missiles in terms of speed, power, and maneuverability has been presented so far, according to Sputnik's interlocutor.

"Yes, they put [Mako] on display, but this does not mean that it will be adopted for service, it does not mean that it will win the [Pentagon's] tender. It depends not only on the rocket's effectiveness, but also on its price tag, and the adaptability of certain types of military equipment, and on whether there are competitors in this area which are cheaper and no less effective," Litovkin concluded.