Most hurricanes only achieve category 5 status for hours... Irma is the longest at a little over 3 days. It just takes a perfect environment to achieve and maintain that intensity.
The new technology will definitely help. My irons are 10 yrs old. I spin my 7-iron at like 4500 rpm. Wicked high. I hit a newer iron in the simulator and it instantly dropped it to 2500 rpm.