“The field of hypersonics has emerged as a technical discipline that is critical to ensure the United States will be able to fight and win future conflicts,” the school at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base said.
Hypersonic technology is increasingly important to the Air Force. Last month, a joint DARPA-Air Force scramjet-powered “Hypersonic Airbreathing” test weapon completed its final test. DARPA said the program “is providing critical data to inform Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) hypersonic technology maturation efforts.” And the Air Force is said to be working on a bomber that can push all the way to Mach 10, dubbed “Project Mayhem.”
AFIT’s graduate certificate in hypersonic flight is designed to produce technical professionals “who can understand, evaluate and communicate the unique complexities of the hypersonic flight environment,” the school said.
The program consists of graduate-level courses offered in-residence at the AFIT main campus at Wright-Patterson. Students must complete three core classes and one elective for 16 quarter hours of graduate-level studies, the school said.
Registration is open. Prospective students should hold an ABET (Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology)-accredited degree in aeronautical, aerospace, astronautical or mechanical engineering with a cumulative GPA of 3.0 (on a 4.0 point basis) in that degree. Waivers may be considered.
Questions about the program may be directed to the program chair, Lt. Col. Robert MacDermott or https://www.afit.edu/EN/programs.cfm?a=view&D=78
AFIT is a wing-equivalent unit of more than 500 military and civilian faculty and staff.
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