The United States Army, considered the world’s most powerful military, is in a race to develop hypersonic weapons while simultaneously developing a defence system to defend against them, as both of its rivals – China and Russia – have been aggressively pursuing hypersonic missile technology. Beijing and Moscow are also conducting extensive tests on hypersonic weapons. The Army’s Long-Range Hypersonic Weapon (LRHW) initiative is an essential part of the United States’ strategy to stay ahead in these advancements.
The system is likely to be deployed by the end of this year, a defence official told Defence News on February 26.
The US military planned to deploy the LRHW to the 5th Battalion, 3rd Field Artillery Regiment, 1st Multi-Domain Task Force, 17th Field Artillery Brigade at Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Washington, by the end of 2023. However, the crucial program witnessed delays due to major issues in launcher and launch sequence, because of which the deadline was missed.
A report from a government oversight agency earlier highlighted that these technical challenges were a major factor in the delays, noting that although the missile was functional, difficulties with the firing mechanism and environmental conditions resulted in several failed tests in 2023.
These problems, which did not pertain to the missile’s performance, highlighted the challenges of incorporating a new and sophisticated weapon system into active service. Doug Bush, who was the Army’s acquisition chief at the time, emphasised the importance of comprehensive testing of the entire system to guarantee safety, effectiveness, and readiness for combat before the weapon could be put into use.
Moreover, back-to-back test failures delayed the fielding timeline, pushing the US military to refine its approach first.
Despite delays, the program related to hypersonic weapons regained momentum last year with numerous positive test launches that demonstrated the weapon’s effectiveness.
In May, the Army executed a thorough flight test of the hypersonic missile at its Hawaii’s Pacific Missile Range Facility. This test was important for demonstrating the system’s operational capability and yielded important performance data.
In December, the Army and Navy carried out another successful comprehensive test at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida. This test featured the Common Hypersonic Glide Body (C-HGB). It is an important element of the system that allows the hypersonic missile to fly at hyper speeds while manoeuvring unpredictably.
Following successful tests, the Army is close to deploying the weapon.
US Army’s Long-Range Hypersonic Weapon
The American army’s Long-Range Hypersonic Weapon (LRHW), also known as Dark Eagle, is a ground-launched missile system. It has a reported range of 1,725 miles. It includes a hypersonic glide vehicle and is equipped with transportation, fire control, and various operational tools.
This land-based system is capable of firing hypersonic missiles that can hit the target at a range of 3,800 miles per hour. These missiles rise to the higher levels of the Earth’s atmosphere, remaining just outside the capabilities of standard air and missile defense systems, before quickly descending towards their targets, providing little time for opponents to respond.
The US Army is working closely with the US Navy to develop the LRHW. It includes the Common Hypersonic Glide Body (C-HGB) and a 34.5-inch booster designed by the Navy. As the army’s system is launched from mobile ground platforms, the Navy’s version, also called Conventional Prompt Strike (CPS) is designed for the development from its ships.
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