US Is 'Light-Years' Behind in Hypersonic Space Race

The American effort to develop cutting-edge space weaponry and track that of its rivals made strides this month as officials announced a pair of successful hypersonic missile tests and the funding of a $1.3 billion hypersonic weapon tracking network – but defense experts warn the U.S. remains "light-years" behind China and Russia and the beleaguered program appears to have no giant leaps on the horizon.

The Pentagon announced earlier in July that the Air Force and Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency each successfully carried out tests of two different hypersonic missile systems, providing the U.S. a much-needed boost in the hypersonic realm.