There is a fair debate about just how useful scramjets would really be for launching spacecraft. Some argue that the gains in specific impulse are offset by the higher drag and higher heat loads. They suggest that, instead of spending much time at speeds like Mach 8, it's better to use a rocket to get through the highest heat loads. An advanced mothership that could carry a smaller vehicle might benefit from scramjets, though.

Right now, I know of hypersonic research in the US, Germany, Russia, France, Japan, and Australia. It's probably underway in other countries as well. Just about all of the research seems more interested in developing high speed missiles than in space applications. It's possible that a hypersonic cruise missile might be operational within 10 years. Such a missile would be a lot harder to shoot down and be much more responsive than current cruise missiles.