GINC Technology
Space Technologies

Advanced Propulsion & Hypersonic Systems

The capacity to propel flight at the frontier: advanced air-breathing and rocket propulsion, hypersonic flight technologies, and the propulsion systems that decide speed, range and endurance in air, sea and space.

Capability group
Space Technologies
Domain
Critical Technology · Hard Power
Identifier
factbase.org/cap/BT6M3JP60W
Reference
Scramjet Wikipedia

Papers

1.6k

2020–2024

Paper growth

+22%

2020–24 on 2015–19

Patent families

6.2k

2020–2024

Filed abroad

14%

families in more than one office

Framework

What it covers

What the capability covers and what it leaves to others, and the indicators it will be measured by.

Bounds

Covers propulsion technology across regimes, absorbing the underwater propulsion node; hypersonic weapons and their defeat belong to National Security's strike and shield capabilities, and engine manufacture at scale to Strategic Infrastructure and the economic domains.

Lineage

Relocated in v0.1 from the split group (formerly Advanced aircraft engines (including hypersonics)) at the same level, carrying its identifier, and absorbing Air-independent propulsion (retired): propulsion is one technology capacity across regimes, and the platform applications register elsewhere.

Indicators

  • research publication share in propulsion and hypersonicsResearch
  • hypersonic flight tests conductedPending
  • advanced engine programmes in developmentPending
Research

Who publishes it

Papers classified to the capability, by year and by the nation of their authors' institutions, 2020–2024. Read from the v0.0 research topics Advanced aircraft engines (including hypersonics) and Air-independent propulsion.

Papers by year

The five leading nations, papers by year

Share of papers, 2020–2024

Of papers with a known author nation; 32% have none and are left out.

  1. 1China23.8%287 papers
  2. 2United States18.0%217 papers
  3. 3Germany7.8%94 papers
  4. 4India6.5%78 papers
  5. 5United Kingdom5.9%71 papers
  6. 6Italy5.1%62 papers
  7. 7Brazil2.2%27 papers
  8. 8Canada2.2%26 papers
  9. 9Russia2.2%26 papers
  10. 10France2.1%25 papers

Leading institutions, 2020–2024

By fractional count: each paper divided among its authors' institutions.

  1. 1Deutsches Zentrum für Luft- und Raumfahrt e. V. (DLR)29fractional papers
  2. 2Northwestern Polytechnical University26fractional papers
  3. 3Beihang University26fractional papers
  4. 4Nanjing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics22fractional papers
  5. 5Cranfield University18fractional papers
  6. 6National University of Defense Technology17fractional papers
  7. 7Georgia Institute of Technology16fractional papers
  8. 8Beijing Institute of Technology11fractional papers
  9. 9University of Michigan–Ann Arbor9fractional papers
  10. 10Polytechnic University of Turin8fractional papers
Patents

Who patents it

Patent families by the nation of origin of their applicants and their earliest priority year, from the CPC and IPC classes the capability is read from. 2025 onwards is incomplete: families are published 18 months after priority.

Families by priority year

The five leading origins, families by year

1,305 applicants filed here in 2015–2024; the five largest held 13% of families (HHI 54 of 10,000: unconcentrated).

Share of families by origin, 2020–2024

  1. 1China71.4%4,420 families
  2. 2United States10.6%653 families
  3. 3South Korea4.3%264 families
  4. 4Japan2.1%133 families
  5. 5Russia2.0%122 families
  6. 6Germany1.9%117 families
  7. 7France1.8%109 families
  8. 8United Kingdom1.0%63 families
  9. 9Italy0.5%30 families
  10. 10Canada0.5%30 families

Applicants filing most internationally, 2015–2024

Families filed in more than one office, by applicant as the offices name them.

  1. 1ARIANEGROUP SAS102international families
  2. 2GEN ELECTRIC70international families
  3. 3BOEING CO66international families
  4. 4RAYTHEON CO60international families
  5. 5AEROJET ROCKETDYNE INC49international families
  6. 6ARIANEGROUP GMBH49international families
  7. 7AIRBUS SAFRAN LAUNCHERS SAS29international families
  8. 8MITSUBISHI HEAVY IND LTD28international families
  9. 9HAMILTON SUNDSTRAND CORP25international families
  10. 10DEUTSCH ZENTR LUFT & RAUMFAHRT24international families

Classification read

  • F02K9/00 Rocket engines · 54.2k documents
  • F02K7/00 Ramjets, scramjets and pulse jets · 10.2k documents
  • F23R7/00 Detonation and pulsed combustion chambers · 1.7k documents
  • F03H1/00 Plasma and ion thrusters · 9.3k documents
  • B64G1/40 Spacecraft propulsion systems · 19.1k documents
  • B64C30/00 Supersonic and hypersonic aircraft · 2.5k documents

Shares inventions with

Capabilities whose classes the same families also fall in, by overlap (Jaccard).

Companies

Who makes it

The companies that research, design, make, supply and operate the technology, the global leaders and the leading firms of every region.

50 companies in this capability, from 20 nations across 8 regions. Sorted by how experts see each company's global relevance in the field, from very high to very low.

  1. Very high8 companies
  2. 1

    United StatesRTX

    Pratt & Whitney builds the F135 and adaptive-cycle engine work, and Raytheon is prime with Northrop Grumman on the scramjet-powered Hypersonic Attack Cruise Missile (HACM).

    Very high relevance · Systems integration · United States, Arlington · founded 1922 · 186k staff

  3. 2

    United StatesGE Aerospace

    World's largest jet engine maker; it developed the XA100 adaptive-cycle engine, the RISE open-fan programme and rotating detonation and dual-mode ramjet hypersonic propulsion.

    Very high relevance · Components & subsystems · United States, Evendale · founded 1892 · 53k staff

  4. 3

    United StatesL3Harris Technologies

    Its Aerojet Rocketdyne unit (acquired 2023) makes RS-25 and RL10 rocket engines and solid rocket motors, and built the SJY61 scramjet that flew on the X-51A WaveRider.

    Very high relevance · Systems integration · United States, Melbourne · founded 1895 · 47k staff

  5. 4

    United StatesLockheed Martin

    Prime contractor on US hypersonic programmes including ARRW, Conventional Prompt Strike/LRHW glide bodies, and Skunk Works' high-speed aircraft research.

    Very high relevance · Systems integration · United States, Bethesda · founded 1995 · 121k staff

  6. 5

    United StatesNorthrop Grumman

    Leading US solid rocket motor producer and provider of the scramjet engine for the HACM programme, plus the advanced air-breathing propulsion behind its hypersonic work.

    Very high relevance · Systems integration · United States, Falls Church · founded 1939 · 97k staff

  7. 6

    ChinaChina Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation (CASC)

    China's main space and missile conglomerate; its Academy of Aerospace Propulsion Technology develops the YF-series liquid rocket engines, and its academies build hypersonic glide vehicles.

    Very high relevance · Systems integration · China, Beijing · founded 1999 · 180k staff

  8. 7

    FranceSafran

    Co-maker with GE of the CFM LEAP, maker of the Rafale's M88, lead on the RISE open-rotor demonstrator, and co-owner of ArianeGroup.

    Very high relevance · Components & subsystems · France, Paris · founded 2005 · 100k staff

  9. 8

    United KingdomRolls-Royce

    Major gas-turbine maker (Trent, EJ200 partner, UltraFan demonstrator) that leads the UK engine work for the GCAP/Tempest sixth-generation fighter.

    Very high relevance · Components & subsystems · United Kingdom, London · founded 1906 · 42k staff

  10. High10 companies
  11. 9

    United StatesSpaceX

    Builds the Merlin engine and the full-flow staged-combustion methane Raptor, the highest-production advanced rocket engines in the world.

    High relevance · Operations & infrastructure · United States, Starbase · founded 2002 · 13k staff

  12. 10

    ChinaChina Aerospace Science and Industry Corporation (CASIC)

    State missile maker whose academies develop ramjet and scramjet cruise missiles, hypersonic systems and solid rocket propulsion for China.

    High relevance · Systems integration · China, Beijing · founded 1956

  13. 11

    ChinaAero Engine Corporation of China (AECC)

    China's consolidated military and civil aero-engine group, which develops the WS-10, WS-15 and CJ-1000 turbofans and combined-cycle engine research.

    High relevance · Components & subsystems · China, Beijing · founded 2016

  14. 12

    FranceArianeGroup

    Airbus-Safran joint venture that builds the Vulcain 2.1 and Vinci engines for Ariane 6 and the reusable methalox Prometheus, and is the top international patent applicant in this capability.

    High relevance · Hardware & devices · France, Les Mureaux · founded 2015 · 7,600 staff

  15. 13

    United StatesBoeing

    Built the X-51A WaveRider scramjet demonstrator with Aerojet, does Phantom Works hypersonic research and is a large patent applicant in propulsion.

    High relevance · Systems integration · United States, Arlington · founded 1916 · 172k staff

  16. 14

    United StatesBlue Origin

    Builds the BE-4 oxygen-rich staged-combustion methane engine that powers ULA Vulcan and New Glenn, plus the BE-3 hydrogen engines.

    High relevance · Hardware & devices · United States, Kent · founded 2000

  17. 15

    GermanyMTU Aero Engines

    Germany's engine champion; partner on EJ200 and the Pratt & Whitney GTF, and German lead for the NGF/FCAS next-generation fighter engine with Safran.

    High relevance · Components & subsystems · Germany, Munich · founded 1934

  18. 16

    RussiaUnited Engine Corporation (Rostec)

    Russia's consolidated gas-turbine engine holding, making the AL-41F1 (Su-57), izdeliye 177 and PD-14 engines.

    High relevance · Components & subsystems · Russia, Moscow · founded 2008

  19. 17

    RussiaNPO Mashinostroyeniya

    Designer of the scramjet-powered 3M22 Zircon hypersonic missile and the ramjet P-800 Oniks, part of the Tactical Missiles Corporation.

    High relevance · Systems integration · Russia, Reutov · founded 1944

  20. 18

    RussiaNPO Energomash

    Designer of the RD-170/180/191 oxygen-rich staged-combustion engines, a reference design in high-performance liquid propulsion.

    High relevance · Components & subsystems · Russia, Khimki · founded 1929

  21. Moderate15 companies
  22. 19

    JapanMitsubishi Heavy Industries

    Builds the LE-9 expander-bleed engine for H3, and is prime for Japan's Hyper Velocity Gliding Projectile and the scramjet hypersonic cruise missile programme.

    Moderate relevance · Hardware & devices · Japan, Tokyo · founded 1884 · 77k staff

  23. 20

    JapanIHI Corporation

    Developed the XF9-1 high-thrust fighter engine demonstrator, and its IHI Aerospace unit makes solid motors for the Epsilon rocket and missiles.

    Moderate relevance · Components & subsystems · Japan, Tokyo · founded 1853

  24. 21

    South KoreaHanwha Aerospace

    Korea's aero-engine maker (F414 licence production for the KF-21, indigenous engine development), and builder of the Nuri launcher's 75-tonne liquid engines.

    Moderate relevance · Hardware & devices · South Korea, Changwon · founded 1977

  25. 22

    JapanKawasaki Heavy Industries

    Builds the XF7-10 turbofan for the P-1 aircraft and small turbojets for Japanese missiles, and takes shares in international turbofan programmes.

    Moderate relevance · Hardware & devices · Japan, Tokyo / Kobe · founded 1896

  26. 23

    United StatesRocket Lab

    Makes the 3D-printed electric-pump Rutherford and the Archimedes methalox engine, and flies the HASTE suborbital vehicle for US hypersonic flight tests.

    Moderate relevance · Hardware & devices · United States, Long Beach · founded 2006 · 2,100 staff

  27. 24

    ItalyAvio

    Builds the P120C solid rocket motor shared by Vega-C and Ariane 6, and the M10 methane upper-stage engine.

    Moderate relevance · Hardware & devices · Italy, Rome · founded 1908

  28. 25

    United StatesKratos Defense & Security Solutions

    Flies the Erinyes and Dark Fury hypersonic test vehicles, makes Zeus solid rocket motors, and leads the MACH-TB hypersonic flight-test programme.

    Moderate relevance · Hardware & devices · United States, San Diego · founded 1994

  29. 26

    United StatesHermeus

    Developing the Chimera turbine-based combined-cycle (turbojet-ramjet) engine and the Quarterhorse uncrewed high-Mach aircraft series.

    Moderate relevance · Hardware & devices · United States, Atlanta · founded 2018

  30. 27

    United StatesStratolaunch

    Operates the Roc carrier aircraft and the reusable Talon-A, which reached hypersonic speed in 2024 flight tests for the Pentagon.

    Moderate relevance · Operations & infrastructure · United States, Mojave · founded 2011

  31. 28

    NorwayNammo

    Norwegian-Finnish state-owned firm making solid rocket motors (AMRAAM, ESSM), the Ariane 6 hybrid/apogee work, and a solid-fuel ramjet extended-range artillery round.

    Moderate relevance · Hardware & devices · Norway, Raufoss · founded 1998

  32. 29

    United StatesUrsa Major

    Makes the Hadley and Draper storable liquid engines used in hypersonic test vehicles, and additively manufactured solid rocket motors for the US military.

    Moderate relevance · Components & subsystems · United States, Berthoud · founded 2015

  33. 30

    IsraelIsrael Aerospace Industries (ELTA Systems)

    Integrates the Arrow 3 exo-atmospheric interceptor and Shavit launcher propulsion stages, and has unveiled hypersonic air-defence and strike concepts.

    Moderate relevance · Systems integration · Israel, Lod · founded 1953 · 15k staff

  34. 31

    IndiaBrahMos Aerospace

    India-Russia joint venture producing the liquid-fuel ramjet BrahMos supersonic cruise missile, and developing the hypersonic BrahMos-II.

    Moderate relevance · Hardware & devices · India, New Delhi · founded 1998

  35. 32

    TürkiyeRoketsan

    Turkey's rocket and missile maker, producing solid propellant motors, the Tayfun ballistic missile, ramjet work and the Turkish micro-satellite launch vehicle propulsion.

    Moderate relevance · Hardware & devices · Türkiye, Ankara · founded 1988

  36. 33

    ChinaLandSpace

    Private Chinese launch firm whose TQ-12 methane-oxygen engine powered Zhuque-2, the first methalox rocket to reach orbit (2023).

    Moderate relevance · Operations & infrastructure · China, Beijing · founded 2015

  37. Low10 companies
  38. 34

    IndiaHindustan Aeronautics Limited

    India's state aerospace firm; its engine divisions build the F404, RD-33 and AL-31FP and develop indigenous turboshaft (Shakti/Aradhya) and HTFE-25 turbofan engines.

    Low relevance · Hardware & devices · India, Bengaluru · founded 1940

  39. 35

    TürkiyeTEI (TUSAŞ Engine Industries)

    Designs Turkey's indigenous engines, including the TS1400 turboshaft, the PG50 turbojet and the TF6000 turbofan, and leads the KAAN fighter engine effort.

    Low relevance · Components & subsystems · Türkiye, Eskişehir · founded 1985

  40. 36

    CanadaMagellan Aerospace

    Canada's maker of the Black Brant sounding rockets and solid rocket motors and propellant, and a supplier of engine components and assemblies.

    Low relevance · Components & subsystems · Canada, Mississauga

  41. 37

    United StatesVenus Aerospace

    Developing rotating detonation rocket engines and ramjet-RDRE combined propulsion for hypersonic aircraft, with a first US RDRE flight in 2025.

    Low relevance · Research & IP · United States, Houston · founded 2020

  42. 38

    UkraineMotor Sich

    Ukraine's main aero-engine producer (AI-222, D-436, TV3-117 families), taken into state control in 2022.

    Low relevance · Components & subsystems · Ukraine, Zaporizhzhia · founded 1907

  43. 39

    UkraineYuzhnoye Design Office

    State design bureau behind the Zenit and Cyclone rockets and the RD-843 engine of Vega's upper stage, and a developer of Ukrainian missile propulsion.

    Low relevance · Design · Ukraine, Dnipro · founded 1954

  44. 40

    IndiaAgnikul Cosmos

    Flew the single-piece 3D-printed semi-cryogenic Agnilet engine on Agnibaan SOrTeD in 2024.

    Low relevance · Hardware & devices · India, Chennai · founded 2017

  45. 41

    AustraliaHypersonix Launch Systems

    Developing the hydrogen-fuelled SPARTAN scramjet and the DART AE reusable hypersonic test vehicle, selected for US DIU HyCAT flight testing.

    Low relevance · Hardware & devices · Australia, Brisbane · founded 2019

  46. 42

    IsraelTomer

    Israel's government-owned rocket motor maker, producing solid propulsion for Arrow, David's Sling and Shavit, spun out of the Ministry of Defense in 2018.

    Low relevance · Components & subsystems · Israel, Be'er Ya'akov · founded 2018

  47. 43

    CzechiaPBS Velká Bíteš

    Czech maker of small turbojet engines (TJ100/TJ150) and APUs for UAVs, target drones and missiles.

    Low relevance · Components & subsystems · Czechia, Velká Bíteš · founded 1950

  48. Very low7 companies
  49. 44

    IndiaSkyroot Aerospace

    Flew India's first private rocket (Vikram-S, 2022) and is building the Vikram-1 with solid Kalam motors and 3D-printed cryogenic Dhawan engines.

    Very low relevance · Operations & infrastructure · India, Hyderabad · founded 2018

  50. 45

    South KoreaInnospace

    Korean developer of hybrid rocket engines, flown on the HANBIT-TLV suborbital test (2023) and used for the HANBIT-Nano launcher.

    Very low relevance · Operations & infrastructure · South Korea, Sejong · founded 2017

  51. 46

    BrazilAvibras

    Brazil's main rocket-propulsion firm (ASTROS rockets, AV-TM 300 cruise missile, sounding-rocket solid motors); it has been in judicial recovery since 2022.

    Very low relevance · Hardware & devices · Brazil, São José dos Campos · founded 1961

  52. 47

    South AfricaDenel

    South Africa's state defence group; Denel Dynamics designs missiles with solid rocket and ramjet propulsion (the Marlin and ramjet-powered A-Darter derivatives research), the strongest propulsion base in Africa.

    Very low relevance · Systems integration · South Africa, Centurion · founded 1992

  53. 48

    ArgentinaVENG (Vehículo Espacial de Nueva Generación)

    State firm that develops the Tronador II launcher and its liquid rocket engines for Argentina's space agency CONAE.

    Very low relevance · Systems integration · Argentina, Buenos Aires

  54. 49

    AustraliaGilmour Space Technologies

    Develops hybrid rocket engines for the Eris orbital launcher, which made Australia's first domestic orbital launch attempt in 2025.

    Very low relevance · Hardware & devices · Australia, Gold Coast · founded 2012

  55. 50

    TürkiyeKale Arge

    Kale Group R&D firm that developed the KTJ-3200 turbojet, the first indigenous Turkish engine for the SOM and Atmaca cruise missiles.

    Very low relevance · Components & subsystems · Türkiye, Istanbul

These companies in the Companies table →