US Army to deploy 1st Dark Eagle hypersonic missile, can hit 1,725-mile away at Mach 5
The U.S. Army is set to roll out its Long-Range Hypersonic Weapon (LRHW), known informally as Dark Eagle, to its first operational unit by the end of fiscal year 2025, a defense official reportedly confirmed.
This announcement comes after considerable delays due to challenges faced during the weapon's testing phases.
The LRHW is designed as a strategic weapon with a range of approximately 1,725 miles.
This system comprises a ground-launched missile equipped with a hypersonic glide body alongside the necessary transport, support, and fire control equipment.
With speeds exceeding 3,800 miles per hour, the missile can soar to the edge of the Earth's atmosphere, evading current air and missile defense systems before delivering its payload with little warning.
In its operational capacity, the LRHW aims to counter Anti-Access/Area Denial (A2/AD) strategies, neutralize long-range enemy capabilities, and target high-value objectives.
The Army's collaboration with the Navy is integral to the LRHW's development, which features the Common Hypersonic Glide Body (C-HGB) and a 34.5-inch booster developed by the naval forces.
Lockheed Martin and Northrop Grumman are reportedly responsible for developing the missile component of the LRHW.
When the hypersonic glide body is attached, it is known as the Navy-Army All-Up Round plus Canister (AUR+C).
This missile serves as a common two-stage booster for the Army's LRHW and the Navy's Conventional Prompt Strike (CPS) system, allowing for its deployment from multiple platforms, including surface vessels and submarines.
The C-HGB, meanwhile, is said to be based on an alternate re-entry system that the Army developed in conjunction with Sandia National Laboratories.
Dynetics, a subsidiary of Leidos, is currently under contract to create prototypes of this glide body for both military branches.
The C-HGB is propelled by a booster rocket that accelerates it to hypersonic speeds before jettisoning the now-expendable booster.
With a planned capability of traveling at Mach 5 or faster, it is designed to be maneuverable, making interception more challenging for potential adversaries.
The LRHW's organizational structure consists of batteries, each including four Transporter Erector Launchers (TELs) carrying two AUR+C missiles each, alongside a Battery Operations Center for command and control.
Despite the ambitious plans, the LRHW program has encountered significant hurdles.
A 2023 report by the Congressional Budget Office emphasizes the need for rigorous flight testing to secure the delicate electronics within hypersonic missiles and better understand material performance under extreme conditions.
Initially, the Army had scheduled three flight tests before introducing the first battery.
However, setbacks have plagued testing, including a failed booster flight in October 2021 and another unsuccessful full missile test in June 2022.
Further complications arose in October 2022 when the Department of Defense postponed a scheduled test to investigate the issues raised by the previous failures.
A subsequent attempt in March 2023 was scrubbed due to discrepancies found during pre-flight checks.
The most recent planned flight test, slated for September 2023, also did not materialize, as the Army admitted that it would miss its target of fielding the LRHW by the end of this fiscal year.
A report from the Government Accountability Office in June 2024 highlighted that integration challenges have delayed the initial deployment and full operational capability of the LRHW system further into the future.
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