U.S. Air Force’s Hypersonic Cruise Missile Fails in Test Our Bureau 5115
Hypersonic Air-breathing Weapon Concept (HAWC) illustration.
The U.S. Air Force’s Hypersonic Air-breathing Weapon Concept (HAWC) experimental missile has reportedly failed during tests last week.
In September, Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) announced successful completion of captive carry tests of two variants of the HAWC, and said they were ready to proceed to first free-flight testing within the calendar year.
Both Lockheed Martin and Raytheon Technologies have developed HAWC demonstrators.
“HAWC performers Lockheed Martin and Raytheon Technologies have each tested advanced air vehicle configurations that promise to achieve and sustain efficient hypersonic flight. Their upcoming flight tests would focus on hydrocarbon scramjet-powered propulsion and thermal management techniques to enable prolonged hypersonic cruise, in addition to affordable system designs and manufacturing a
The weapon could be carried on the B-52 and B-1B bombers or even perhaps the F-15 fighter.
Russia has been ramping up its tests of its Tsirkon hypersonic missile, a weapon that the United States military currently has no countermeasure against. If defense isn’t an option, then perhaps it is time to go on offensive and that is exactly what the United States Air Force plans to do and last week announced that it will conduct a flight test of its own air-launched hypersonic missile before the end of the year.
Planned for production next year, the Air-launched Rapid Response Weapon (ARRW) would be the first hypersonic missile developed by and employed with the U.S. military. Such capabilities could provide the United States with a stand-off strike opposition to address increased threats from China and Russia.
U.S. to Begin Production of First Hypersonic Missile Next Year Our Bureau 2484
U.S.A.F B-52 bomber conducts captive-carry flight test of the AGM-183A ARRW Instrumented Measurement Vehicle 2 hypersonic prototype.
The first booster test flight of the U.S. Air Force’s first hypersonic missile will take place this month with production beginning next year.
The development was revealed by Air Force acquisition boss Will Roper at the inaugural Doolittle Leadership Center Forum on December 14.
The AGM-183A Air-Launched Rapid Response Weapon (ARRW) completed captive-carry testing in August when a B-52 Stratofortress took off with the weapon. It is expected to be armed on B-1B bomber and F-15 jets.