US Air Force Tests Hypersonic Weapon: A Game-Changer in Global Defense

The U.S. Air Force successfully tested a hypersonic weapon
China and Russia had previously led in its development
It is also known that North Korea is in the process of developing it

On the 17th, the U.S. Air Force succeeded in testing the Air-launched Rapid Response Weapon (ARRW). A bomber carrying the weapon departed from Andersen Air Force Base in Guam and conducted the test at the Reagan Test Site in the Marshall Islands in the South Pacific.

ARRW comprises a hypersonic glide body with a rocket booster motor and a conventional warhead.

The Department of Defense states this missile is intended “for attacking high-value, time-sensitive ground-based targets.”

ARRW is capable of moving above Mach 5, or approximately 4,000 miles per hour, making it difficult to detect and intercept promptly. Additionally, its ability to change altitude and direction allows it to evade current missile defense systems.

The U.S. Department of Defense previously acknowledged that China and Russia have taken the lead in hypersonic development.

China has been testing hypersonic glide vehicles that can carry both nuclear and conventional warheads since 2014. Earlier this year, Russia launched the Zircon hypersonic cruise missile towards Ukraine.

North Korea has also claimed to be developing hypersonic weapons. In fact, on the 19th, North Korea conducted a ground test of a multi-stage solid-fuel engine for a medium to long-range hypersonic missile at the Dongchang-ri site in Cholsan County, North Pyongan Province as part of its new weapons system development schedule.

Craig Singleton, a senior fellow on China at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, stated, “This test is a clear message to China that the United States is firmly enhancing its strategic posture in the Pacific amidst competitive global challenges.”

However, the Air Force did not disclose specific details about the test, such as how fast or far ARRW flew or whether it hit its target.

The Air Force requested $150 million for ARRW in the fiscal year 2024, but the National Defense Authorization Act did not approve funding for this project.

Major General Dale White of the Air Force recently stated in the House Armed Services Committee that “the decision on future ARRW production is waiting for the final analysis of all flight test data.”