U.S. Air Force Conducts Final Test of Hypersonic AGM-183A Weapon

California: The U.S. Air Force executed the anticipated final test of the hypersonic AGM-183A Air-launched Rapid Response Weapon (ARRW) on Sunday. The outcome of the test was not disclosed by the service. An Air Force spokesperson stated that a B-52H Stratofortress carried out the test of the fully operational ARRW prototype, known as an all-up round test, after departing from Andersen Air Force Base in Guam. The test took place at the Reagan Test Site in the Marshall Islands. 

Developed by Lockheed Martin, the AGM-183 ARRW is a hypersonic air-to-ground missile designed for use by the United States Air Force. The boost-glide vehicle achieves speeds exceeding Mach 5 before gliding towards its target. Despite the program's cancellation in March 2023 following several unsuccessful tests, development persisted, with additional testing conducted, albeit undisclosed. 

Current landscape of the hypersonic arms race 

The Air Force refrained from specifying the test's objectives but stated that it "gained valuable insights into the capabilities" of the Lockheed Martin-made hypersonic weapon. The spokesperson emphasized that the test yielded "valuable, unique data" and aimed to advance various hypersonic programs while enhancing test and evaluation capabilities for continued development of advanced hypersonic systems. 

ARRW represents one of the Air Force's primary initiatives to develop an air-launched hypersonic weapon capable of surpassing Mach 5 and exhibiting high maneuverability. With China and Russia heavily investing in their hypersonic weapons programs, pressure mounts on the Pentagon to demonstrate progress in fielding U.S. capabilities. 

Optimism surrounds hypersonic attack cruise missile program 

Air Force Secretary Frank Kendall acknowledged the ARRW program's testing challenges, particularly following a failed test in March 2023. Recent statements from Air Force officials indicated that the upcoming test would mark the program's conclusion, with plans to conclude rapid prototyping efforts this year. 

Despite challenges with the ARRW program, optimism surrounds the Hypersonic Attack Cruise Missile (HACM) program. The fiscal 2025 budget proposal allocates $517 million for HACM development, a project led by Northrop Grumman and RTX subsidiary Raytheon. HACM, an air-breathing missile, is expected to be smaller than ARRW and capable of traversing vastly different trajectories. Notably, the Air Force is poised to evaluate the final ARRW test results to inform future decisions regarding hypersonic capabilities.