U.S. DoD press release
“This test builds on several flight tests in which the Common Hypersonic Glide Body achieved hypersonic speed at target distances and demonstrates that we can put this capability in the hands of the warfighter,” said Secretary of the Army Christine Wormuth.
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 ( LRHW) system using a Battery Operations Center and a Transporter Erector Launcher.
“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,” – Secretary of the Navy Carlos Del Toro.
Information gathered from this test will support the first Army Operational Deployment of the common hypersonic AUR, as well as a Navy sea-based fielding.
“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, Navy’s Strategic Systems Programs, which is the lead designer of the common hypersonic missile.
The Services common hypersonic AUR supports the National Defense Strategy and will provide combatant commanders with diverse capabilities to sustain and strengthen integrated deterrence and to build enduring advantages for the Joint Force.
Hypersonic systems – capable of flying at speeds greater than five times the speed of sound (Mach 5) –provide a combination of speed, range, maneuverability, and altitude that enables highly survivable and rapid defeat of time-critical and heavily-defended targets.
“The responsiveness, maneuverability and survivability of hypersonic weapons is unmatched by traditional strike capabilities for precision targeting, especially in anti-access/area denial environments,” said Lt. Gen. Robert A. Rasch, Director of Hypersonics, Directed Energy, Space and Rapid Acquisitions for RCCTO.
The U.S. Army RCCTO and U.S. Navy SSP programs are partnered to rapidly field land and sea variants of a hypersonic weapon system that will meet critical joint warfighting needs. The use of a common hypersonic missile and joint test opportunities allow the Services to pursue a more aggressive timeline for delivery and realize cost savings. The collaboration between RCCTO and SSP enables the Services to stay ahead of emerging threats and maintain a decisive advantage on the battlefield.
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Naval News comments:
The LRHW, also known as Dark Eagle, originates from the Conventional Prompt Strike (CPS), a joint program between the US Army and US Navy.
The US Army fielded the first LRHW battery in 2023 with a second planned in 2025 and third battery following in 2027. The main parts of the battery will be made up of four Transport Erector Launchers (TEL), each equipped with two missiles and a Battery Operations Center (BOC). The LRHW batteries will be deployed as a part of the Army’s new Multi Domain Task Force. There the batteries will fall under a Strategic Fires Battalion, alongside a HIMARS Battery and a Mid-Range Capability Battery.
The Navy expects the first deployment of the CPS-equipped USS Zumwalt (DDG-1000) to occur in the fourth quarter of 2025, followed by the USS Michael Mansoor (DDG-1001) in the fourth quarter of 2026, and the last ship in the class, USS Lyndon Johnson (DDG-1002) in the fourth quarter of 2027.
Fielding on the Virginia-class is expected to take place in 2029 on one of the Block V submarines, which will be equipped with the Virginia Payload Module (VPM).
