US Navy and US Army test conventional hypersonic missile

December 17, 2024, by Fatima Bahtić

The US Army’s Rapid Capabilities and Critical Technologies Office, in collaboration with the US Navy Strategic Systems Programs, has completed a successful end-to-end flight test of a conventional hypersonic missile from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida.

This is the second successful end-to-end flight test of the all-up round (AUR) this year and was the first live-fire event for the long-range hypersonic weapon system using a battery operations center and a transporter erector launcher.

Information gathered from this test will support the first army’s operational deployment of the common hypersonic AUR, as well as a Navy sea-based fielding, the partners noted.

“This test marks an important milestone in the development of one of our most advanced weapons systems. As we approach the first delivery of this capability to our Army partners, we will continue to press forward to integrate Conventional Prompt Strike into our Navy surface and subsurface ships to help ensure we remain the world’s preeminent fighting force,” said Secretary of the Navy Carlos Del Toro.

“This test is a demonstration of the successful Navy and Army partnership that has allowed us to develop a transformational hypersonic weapon system that will deliver unmatched capability to meet joint warfighting needs,” said Vice Adm. Johnny R. Wolfe Jr., Director of the Navy’s Strategic Systems Programs, which is the lead designer of the common hypersonic missile.

Hypersonic systems are capable of flying at speeds greater than five times the speed of sound (Mach 5). They provide a combination of speed, range, maneuverability, and altitude that “enables highly survivable and rapid defeat of time-critical and heavily-defended targets,” according to the navy.

The US Army RCCTO and US Navy SSP programs are partnered to rapidly field land and sea variants of a hypersonic weapon system to meet critical joint warfighting needs. The use of a common hypersonic missile and joint test opportunities allows the services to pursue a more aggressive timeline for delivery, the navy highlighted.

“The responsiveness, maneuverability and survivability of hypersonic weapons is unmatched by traditional strike capabilities for precision targeting, especially in anti-access/area denial environments,” concluded Lt. Gen. Robert A. Rasch, Director of Hypersonics, Directed Energy, Space, and Rapid Acquisitions for RCCTO.

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