France conducts maiden test of hypersonic glider

FILE PHOTO: French President Emmanuel Macron delivers a closing speech during the conference on European air and missile defence, attended by EU defence ministers, on the sidelines of the International Paris Air Show, at the Hotel des Invalides in Paris, France, June 19, 2023. REUTERS/Stephanie Lecocq/Pool/File Photo

PARIS (Reuters) - France has conducted a maiden test of a prototype hypersonic glider, the country's defence procurement agency said, as it seeks to develop new missile technology capable of evading the most sophisticated air defences.

The agency said a sounding rocket carrying a VMAX hypersonic glider launched on Monday from the Biscarosse missile test site on the Bay of Biscay, southwestern France.