The US Air Force has completed testing of its hypersonic AGM-183A Air-launched Rapid Response Weapon, marking a significant milestone in the development of advanced military technology.
According to a report by New Atlas, the test, conducted on March 17, involved the missile's deployment from a B-52H Stratofortress at the Reagan Test Site in the Marshall Islands.
Hypersonic AGM-183A Air-launched Rapid Response Weapon
Hypersonic missiles, capable of surpassing conventional air defense systems with speeds exceeding five times the speed of sound, offer a paradigm shift in warfare akin to the advent of jet propulsion.
Despite this potential, the absence of a hypersonic missile in the United States arsenal has been a point of contention, particularly as rival nations like Russia and China have already introduced their own iterations.
Completing testing for the hypersonic missile represents a crucial step forward for the US military, which has faced pressure to match the advancements made by its global counterparts.
While Russia's hypersonic attacks in Ukraine following its 2022 invasion did not yield the anticipated impact, the urgency to develop competitive hypersonic capabilities remains unabated.
The final flight test of the hypersonic missile, developed by Lockheed Martin, signifies the culmination of an extensive evaluation process. Although the Air Force has not disclosed specific details regarding the test's outcomes, valuable insights have been gained, contributing to the ongoing refinement of hypersonic capabilities.
With no further tests planned for the AGM-183A ARRW and no allocation of funds requested from Congress for additional testing, the program is expected to transition toward the production phase.
Lockheed Martin's Confidence in AARW's Revolutionary Capabilities
Lockheed Martin, the manufacturer of the hypersonic missile, expressed confidence in the ARRW's revolutionary capabilities and reiterated its commitment to delivering cutting-edge solutions to the US Air Force.
Leveraging industry-leading technology and testing successes, Lockheed Martin stands poised to provide additional hypersonic-strike assets to bolster the nation's military capabilities.
Lockheed Martin reaffirmed its readiness to deliver ARRW technology or alternative hypersonic capabilities to the Air Force, emphasizing the company's dedication to supporting the nation's defense endeavors.
"Following the recent end-to-end flight test, Lockheed Martin has completed the test program with full confidence in ARRW's revolutionary capabilities, and we stand ready to deliver this fully-qualified, hypersonic solution to the U.S. Air Force," the company said in a statement to Defense News.
"Building on ARRW's industry-leading technology and testing success, Lockheed Martin can quickly deliver additional hypersonic-strike assets that can be rapidly deployed to the U.S. military."
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