World’s Largest Airplane to Launch Hypersonic Aircraft

Six-engined Stratolaunch Roc could be back in the air over California’s Mojave Desert as soon as January.

Thursday, December 09, 2021 at 06:48 PM ET

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Stratolaunch’s massive jet is the world’s largest airplane. It made its first flight in Mojave, California, in 2019. Credit: Stratolaunch

Key Takeaways:

Stratolaunch has secured a new U.S. military contract to aid in the development and defense against hypersonic weapons.
The company's massive "Roc" aircraft will be used to launch autonomous hypersonic test planes, named Talon-A, for "threat replication" research.
Roc is expected to begin new test flights in January, with Talon-A's first hypersonic flight tests scheduled for later in 2022, addressing U.S. military concerns about peer competitors' hypersonic capabilities.

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Stratolaunch, owner of the world’s largest airplane, has announced a new research contract with the U.S. military to help develop hypersonic weapons.

President and COO Zachary Krevor told FLYING on Thursday the six-engined jet, nicknamed “Roc,” could begin its next set of test flights as soon as January in preparation to launch autonomous hypersonic test planes later in 2022. Hypersonic aircraft are designed to fly at least five times the speed of sound.