US fires off hypersonic missile test amid pressure from China, Russia

Mar 20

Ryan Robertson Anchor

By Ryan Robertson (Anchor), Evan Hummel (Producer), Zachary Hill (Video Editor)

Bias Distribution Powered by Ground News™

In what may be the weapon’s final test, the U.S. Air Force fired a Lockheed Martin Air-Launched Rapid Response Weapon from a B-52 Bomber on Sunday, March 17. The test happened over the Pacific near Guam. So far, the Air Force is being tight-lipped on how fast this version of a hypersonic missile flew.

Based off previous tests, the missile should be capable of reaching speeds five times the speed of sound. Despite staying quiet on the details, the Air Force contends that the latest test provided it with valuable data to analyze and will reportedly further hypersonic weapons research.

Download the SAN app today to stay up-to-date with Unbiased. Straight Facts™.

Point phone camera here

The Air Force maintains that the missile test was successful. However, the future of the Air Force’s hypersonic attack missile is a little uncertain. The Air Force’s proposed fiscal year 2025 budget requested $517 million to keep developing the weapon, but no funds to actually purchase any.

The Air Force stated that a final decision on the future of the Air-Launched Rapid Response Weapon will be based on the latest test flight.

Hypersonic missiles are important for the U.S. For starters, China and Russia have hypersonic missiles, and the U.S. doesn’t, which is a capability gap for the U.S. military.

As far as the actual missiles themselves, hypersonic missiles can be launched far enough away that enemy radar won’t see the launch. Hypersonic missiles also travel at speeds of at least Mach 5 or five times the speed of sound. Some missiles have reportedly reached speeds of Mach 8.

In 2017, Moscow reportedly added the Kinzhal Missile to its arsenal, and Russia became the first nation ever to use hypersonic weapons in war when it launched them at Ukraine. However, U.S. Patriot Missile batteries were able to defend against them.

Russia got started on its hypersonic program through Soviet-era research, which started in the early 2000s. The research began after the U.S. scrapped a 1972 anti-ballistic missile treaty, which limited Moscow’s production of anti-ballistic missiles, in an effort to stop the Cold War arms race.

In 2019, China unveiled the DF-ZF Hypersonic Glide Vehicle. These types of weapons help contribute to China being labeled as the primary threat to maritime security in the Pacific.

Tags: Air Force, China, Hypersonic missile, Lockheed Martin, Moscow, Russia, U.S. Air Force, Weapons

[RYAN ROBERTSON]

IN WHAT MAY BE ITS FINAL TEST, THE U.S. AIR FORCE FIRED A LOCKHEED MARTIN AIR LAUNCHED RAPID RESPONSE WEAPON–A VERSION OF A HYPERSONIC MISSILE FROM A B-52 BOMBER OVER THE PACIFIC OCEAN NEAR GUAM.

SO FAR, THE AIR FORCE IS BEING TIGHT-LIPPED ON HOW FAST THE MISSILE FLEW OR REALLY ANY SPECIFIC DETAILS.

BUT WE DO KNOW FROM PREVIOUS TESTS IT’S CAPABLE OF REACHING SPEEDS FIVE TIMES THE SPEED OF SOUND.

STILL, THE AIR FORCE SAID THE LATEST ARRW TEST PROVIDED IT WITH VALUABLE DATA TO ANALYZE AND WILL FURTHER HYPERSONIC WEAPONS RESEARCH.

THE EXPERIMENTAL TEST LAUNCH USED AN “ALL-UP” ROUND, MEANING THE GLIDE BODY AND ROCKET BOOSTER WERE CONNECTED.

AND DESPITE THE AIR FORCE SAYING THE TEST WAS A “SUCCESS” THE FUTURE OF THE AIR FORCE’S HYPERSONIC ATTACK CRUISE MISSILE IS A LITTLE UNCERTAIN

THE U.S. AIR FORCE’S PROPOSED FISCAL YEAR 2025 BUDGET REQUESTED MORE THAN $500 MILLION TO KEEP DEVELOPING THE WEAPON BUT NO FUNDS TO ACTUALLY PURCHASE ANY

THE AIR FORCE SAYS A FINAL DECISION ON THE FUTURE OF THE AIR-LAUNCHED RAPID RESPONSE WEAPON PROGRAM WILL BE BASED ON THE LATEST FLIGHT.

HERE’S WHY HYPERSONIC MISSILES ARE IMPORTANT. FOR STARTERS, CHINA AND RUSSIA HAVE THEM, AND THE U.S. DOESN’T… SO THAT’S A BIT OF A SORE SPOT FOR LAWMAKERS AND A CAPABILITY GAP FOR THE MILITARY.

AS FAR AS THE ACTUAL MISSILES THEMSELVES–HYPERSONIC MISSILES CAN BE LAUNCHED FAR ENOUGH AWAY THAT ENEMY RADAR WON’T SEE THE LAUNCH. HYPERSONIC MISSILES TRAVEL AT SPEEDS OF AT LEAST MACH 5…OR FIVE TIMES THE SPEED OF SOUND. SOME HAVE REPORTEDLY REACHED SPEEDS OF MACH 8.

WHAT SETS HYPERSONIC MISSILES APART FROM BALLISTIC MISSILES–IS THEY’RE ALSO MANEUVERABLE…MAKING THEM HARDER TO DEFEND AGAINST.

IN 2017, MOSCOW ADDED THE KINZHAL MISSILE TO ITS ARSENAL.

AND RUSSIA REPORTEDLY BECAME THE FIRST NATION EVER TO USE HYPERSONIC WEAPONS IN WAR, WHEN IT LAUNCHED THEM AT UKRAINE. US PATRIOT MISSILE BATTERIES WERE ABLE TO DEFEND AGAINST THEM THOUGH.

IN 2019, CHINA UNVEILED THE DF-ZF HYPERSONIC GLIDE VEHICLE…IT’S THESE WEAPONS THAT HELP CONTRIBUTE TO CHINA BEING LABELED AS THE PRIMARY THREAT TO MARITIME SECURITY IN THE PACIFIC.