US Successfully Conducts Hypersonic Missile Flight Test in Effort to Match China’s Advancements

July 2, 2024 TruthUSA

The missile, known as the Dark Eagle, is capable of reaching speeds of over 3,800 miles per hour and can ascend to the Earth’s atmosphere.

The U.S. Army and Navy have recently conducted a flight test of a hypersonic missile as part of the country’s efforts to keep up with China and Russia in developing hypersonic capabilities.

The test took place at the Pacific Missile Range Facility in Kauai, Hawaii, to gather data on the performance of the long-range hypersonic weapon (LRHW), as announced by the Pentagon on June 28.

The LRHW is equipped with the Navy’s Conventional Prompt Strike (CPS) All-Up-Round missile, consisting of a two-stage solid rocket motor booster and a hypersonic glide body, along with the Army’s canister.

CPS is a program focused on developing hypersonic missiles to provide longer range, shorter flight times, and improved survivability against enemy defenses, according to Lockheed Martin.

Lt. Gen. Robert Rasch Jr., from the U.S. Army’s Rapid Capabilities and Critical Technologies Office, mentioned that the missile development is aimed at ensuring the U.S. military remains superior to potential adversaries.

The Pentagon did not disclose details about the data collected from the test flight or additional information about the hypersonic missile.

About a month ago, the U.S. Army granted Lockheed Martin a $756 million contract to provide additional equipment and support for the nation’s ground-based hypersonic weapon system, the LRHW.

As per a recent report by the Congressional Research Service, the U.S. Army’s LRHW, known as the Dark Eagle, can achieve speeds exceeding 3,800 miles per hour and reach the top of the Earth’s atmosphere.

The weapon system can hold its position just beyond the range of air and missile defense systems until it is ready to strike, providing the U.S. Army with a strategic tool to counter anti-access/area denial capabilities, suppress enemy long-range fire, and target other crucial objectives.

Lockheed Martin delivered the initial LRHW battery to the U.S. military in 2021, and the U.S. Army has been working in collaboration with the U.S. Navy on this weapon system.

The United States has been testing its hypersonic missile capabilities amid concerns that Russia and China have made significant progress in developing such weaponry.

Rick Fisher, a senior fellow at the International Assessment and Strategy Center, stated last year that the United States is falling behind China in hypersonic weapon development.

“China has taken the lead in the hypersonic weapons race due to its substantial technological investments,” said Mr. Fisher. “This is just the beginning of their developments in this field.”

In its annual report to Congress last year, the Pentagon warned that China possesses the world’s leading hypersonic arsenal, including the DF-17 medium-range ballistic missiles armed with hypersonic glide vehicles (HGV). A HGV allows a ballistic missile to maneuver and glide at hypersonic speeds and change trajectory post-launch.

According to the report, the DF-17 HGV-equipped medium-range ballistic missile system is likely intended to replace outdated SRBM units and target foreign military bases and fleets in the Western Pacific, according to a PRC-based military expert.

Lorenz Duchamps, Frank Fang, and Andrew Thornebrooke contributed to this report.

Source link