Chinese Scientists Unveil Hypersonic Smart Shell, Similar To “Dream Shell” Abandoned US Navy Project

Defense News ,China :- Chinese researchers have claimed a breakthrough in the development and testing of a hypersonic projectile, described as a "smart shell," which bears similarities to the abandoned "Dream Shell" project by the US Navy. The projectile, designed to be fired from electromagnetic guns or coil guns, can achieve speeds of up to Mach 7, as reported by the South China Morning Post.

One key feature of the smart shell is its remarkable accuracy, attributed to its capability to receive signals from a satellite navigation system. This enables the projectile to continuously adjust its flight path while in mid-air, allowing it to precisely hit targets with an estimated margin of error within 15 meters (49 feet). The developers assert that this level of precision makes it effective against large targets like warships and ports.

Despite its impressive accuracy, some experts have raised concerns about the smart shell's ability to target smaller, moving objects such as tanks.

Interestingly, the concept of a smart shell utilizing satellite navigation is not a novel idea. In 2012, the US Navy initiated a similar project known as the "Dream Shell," designed to travel at Mach 5 and guided by a global positioning system. However, the US Navy's project faced challenges and was eventually abandoned, along with its electromagnetic railgun program intended for propelling the Dream Shell.

While China seems to have made advancements in this technology ahead of its peer adversaries, the Chinese research team behind the smart shell emphasized that they had no external guidance or assistance from previous development attempts. Lead scientist Feng Junhong from the Naval University of Engineering stated, "We had no guidance, not even a cursory introduction to guided missile navigation systems, especially the satellite navigation component."