U.S. Air Force Conducts Successful Hypersonic Weapon Test

A U.S. Air Force B-52H Stratofortress successfully released an AGM-183A Air-launched Rapid Response Weapon (ARRW), off the Southern California coast, May 14.   

Following separation from the aircraft, the ARRW’s booster ignited and burned for expected duration, achieving hypersonic speeds five times greater than the speed of sound, the Air Force said in a release.

“This was a major accomplishment by the ARRW team, for the weapons enterprise, and our Air Force,” said Brig. Gen. Heath Collins, Air Force Program Executive Officer for Weapons. “The team's tenacity, expertise, and commitment were key in overcoming the past year's challenges to get us to the recent success. We are ready to build on what we've learned and continue moving hypersonics forward.”  

The 419th Flight Test Squadron and the Global Power Bomber Combined Test Force, or GPB CTF, both at Edwards Air Force Base, California, executed the test.

The missile is being developed by Lockheed Martin under a $480 million contract with the Pentagon and, according to the U.S. military, could be put into service as early as 2022. The AGM-183A hypersonic missile has a speed of Mach 6.5 to Mach 8. The missiles of this type are planned primarily to equip strategic bombers B-52H, each of which will be able to carry four AGM-183A.

ARRW is designed to enable the U.S. to hold fixed, high-value, time-sensitive targets at risk in contested environments from stand-off distances. It will also expand precision-strike capabilities by enabling rapid response strikes against heavily defended land targets.