[2] According to Ye Youda, a scientist who worked on China's hypersonic weapon project, development was slowed by inadequate computing resources.

[5] The glider could be used for nuclear weapons delivery but could also be used to perform precision-strike conventional missions (for example, next-generation anti-ship ballistic missiles), which could penetrate "the layered air defenses of a U.S. carrier strike group.

[6] Although gliding creates more drag, it flies further than it would on a higher trajectory through space, and is too low to be intercepted by exo-atmospheric kill vehicles.

The tradeoff is that warheads have less speed and altitude as they near the target, making them vulnerable to lower-tier interceptors,[7] such as the Mach 17 Russian 53T6, ABM-3 Gazelle.

[13] Additionally, contemporary SAM systems like THAAD, PATRIOT and SM-6 are mostly optimized for terminal phase interception, with the exception of SM-3 and GBI.

[14][15] Furthermore, when HGVs re-enter the atmosphere at hypersonic velocities a plasma sheet will develop which disrupts their communications and sensors.