Airbus unveils 'Son of Concorde' supersonic jet capable of travelling four-and-a-half times the speed of sound

Supersonic passenger planes could see travel between London and New York cut to just one hour following the unveiling of the 'son of Concorde'.

Airbus have filed a patent, identified as an "ultra rapid air vehicle", for a jet they say would travel at four-and-a-half times the speed of sound.

The plans show the plane would be propelled vertically by rocket engines to supersonic speeds and then hydrogen-powered wing mounted ramjets would take over and propel the aircraft to its destination.

It would then travel at speeds of up to Mach 4.5 or more than 3,400 mph, according to documents lodged with the US Patent Office by the aerospace and defence group.

Such speeds would make this aircraft roughly two-and-a-half times faster at cruising speed than the Concorde, which fastest flight between the Big Apple and London was two hours 52 minutes and 59 seconds.

Airbus claims the new plane's shape and vertical trajectory would dramatically reduce the sonic boom that travelling at high speeds creates.

It would cruise at an altitude of more than 100,000ft and carrying up to 20 passengers or two or three tons of cargo for distances of about 5,500 miles.

Experts say the cost of the flights would also be sky high.

"In the case of civil applications, the market envisaged is principally

that of business travel and VIP passengers, who require transcontinental return journeys within one day,' the patent states.

If successful it would allow passengers to make a return journey in a day.

Airbus thinks the jet would be able to complete trips such as Tokyo to Los Angeles in just three hours - a journey that currently takes 11 hours 30 minutes.

The designers say three different types of engine, powered by different forms of hydrogen, would work together to propel the plane.

Two turbo jets would allow the aircraft to climb vertically at take-off before retracting into the fuselage just before it reaches the speed of sound.

A rocket motor would then take it to its causing altitude as the wing-mounted ramjets push the jet to its final speed.

Airbus, who are based in France, claim the hypersonic jet could also be for military applications, working to transport soldiers at rapid speeds.

Airbus claims the new plane's shape and vertical trajectory would dramatically reduce the sonic boom that travelling at high speeds creates.

It would cruise at an altitude of more than 100,000ft and carrying up to 20 passengers or two or three tons of cargo for distances of about 5,500 miles.

Experts say the cost of the flights would also be sky high.

"In the case of civil applications, the market envisaged is principally

that of business travel and VIP passengers, who require transcontinental return journeys within one day,' the patent states.

If successful it would allow passengers to make a return journey in a day.

Airbus thinks the jet would be able to complete trips such as Tokyo to Los Angeles in just three hours - a journey that currently takes 11 hours 30 minutes.

The designers say three different types of engine, powered by different forms of hydrogen, would work together to propel the plane.

Two turbo jets would allow the aircraft to climb vertically at take-off before retracting into the fuselage just before it reaches the speed of sound.

A rocket motor would then take it to its causing altitude as the wing-mounted ramjets push the jet to its final speed.

Airbus, who are based in France, claim the hypersonic jet could also be for military applications, working to transport soldiers at rapid speeds.