Boeing has unveiled a new system that allows C-17 Globemaster III military transport aircraft to launch multiple hypersonic missiles.
Dubbed the “Revolver,” the innovative system features an advanced electromagnetic catapult mechanism that enables the rapid launch of up to 12 X-51A Waverider hypersonic cruise missiles.
It also boasts two sequentially installed drums that help ensure precise and swift missile deployment mid-air.
In an animation shared on social media in late June, the company provided a glimpse of how the launcher will operate from the back of a Globemaster aircraft.
Once fully operational, the Revolver could transform the C-17 into a formidable hypersonic missile carrier and represent a significant advancement in military aviation.
For anyone currently distrustful of Boeing may I introduce you to their new hypersonic missile revolver pic.twitter.com/4Vkm0gRmab
— Chris Combs (iterative design enjoyer) (@DrChrisCombs) June 28, 2024
Aerial Advantage
Boeing’s X-51A Waverider is an experimental hypersonic cruise missile capable of traveling five times the speed of sound.
It has a scramjet engine that supports precision strikes over long distances.
Weighing approximately 4,000 pounds (1,814 kilograms), the weapon was originally designed to be fired from a B-52 Stratofortress bomber.
Launching the Waverider from the Globemaster – the second largest military transport aircraft in the US Air Force inventory – could provide a significant aerial advantage for America in future battles.
