Military Knowledge: What is a Waverider?

A waverider is a hypersonic object that creates a high-pressure area based on the creation of shock waves on its lower surface, so that due to the pressure difference created between the lower surface and its upper surface, generates the power required for gliding at very high flight Machs.

In military weapons, with the advent of new hypersonic weapons, hypersonic glider warheads usually use the waverider configuration in their aerodynamic design. The purpose of this is to achieve the appropriate lift-to-drag ratio so that the weapon achieves an acceptable range in the shortest possible time.

In the design of the hypersonic waverider, it is tried as much as possible that the pressurized air under the fuselage does not enter the low pressure air on the upper surface in order to achieve the highest efficiency.

One of the common methods in designing complex geometric surfaces of this device is the Wave Derived Compression Surface method.

The Chinese DF-17 missile is a ballistic missile with a hypersonic glider warhead. Recently, North Korea has also tested a medium-range missile equipped with a hypersonic glider warhead, which according to its design configuration seems to have achieved this by transferring technology from China.

The Russians also have a hypersonic glide vehicle as a continental weapon called Avangard. It can deliver both nuclear and conventional payloads. In the United States, a missile called AGM-183 ARRW is being developed, which is air-launched.