US Army hypersonic weapon back on road to fielding

Army and navy joint tests have been performed off the coast of Wallops Island, Virginia. (US Navy)

The second end-to-end flight test of a joint US Army and Navy (USN) hypersonic weapon programme was performed on 12 December, according to a Department of Defense press release.

The Cape Canaveral, Florida, test – the second this year – marks the last of the army's tests before the Long-Range Hypersonic Weapon (LRHW) could be fielded, army officials said. This test comes after cancelled tests, including two in 2023, have plagued the programme.

Rapid Capabilities and Critical Technologies Office (RCCTO) and USN Strategic Systems Programs headed the test. The organisations have collaborated on the development of the common all-up round for the past several years in an effort to help cut down cost and improve efficiency.

“This test builds on several flight tests in which the Common Hypersonic Glide Body achieved hypersonic speed at target distances and demonstrates that we can put this capability in the hands of the warfighter,” said Secretary of the US Army Christine Wormuth.

This test was also the first live-fire event that has used the battery operations centre (BOC) and transporter erector launcher. These elements have been fielded with the army and soldiers have performed simulated flights with that equipment in recent years, officials told Janes. The first end-to-end test that took place in June used a different launching mechanism.

In addition to being over schedule, the project is costing the army. From a 2023 assessment, the army's LRHW is estimated to cost USD10.3 billion over its life cycle, including ground equipment. The USN's Conventional Prompt Strike (CPS) has reached USD30.1 billion for its development and production, according to a 2021 cost estimate.