How much of a threat are Chinese hypersonic missiles to US Navy ships and sailors? Hypersonic missiles fly at least five times the speed of sound and can change course in flight, posing a challenge to defense systems on US Navy ships. China Could Obliterate All US Carriers in Just 20 Minutes. China has the world’s leading hypersonic missile arsenal that can threaten US Navy ships. Hypersonic weapons fly at between five and 10 times the speed of sound, and their ability to change course mid-flight makes it difficult to shoot them down.