Air Force Faces Delays in Hypersonic Missile Program
The US Air Force's hypersonic missile programs are critical to its efforts to counter China and Russia's hypersonic advancements, with the HACM and ARRW programs playing key roles in the development of these capabilities. The Air Force's focus on lowering costs and increasing production will be crucial to the success of these programs, as it seeks to deliver hypersonic missiles to the field in the coming years.
The US Air Force's hypersonic cruise missile program, the Hypersonic Attack Cruise Missile (HACM), is facing significant delays due to design finalization issues, resulting in a reduced number of flight tests before the weapon is declared operational. The program, led by Raytheon, is expected to exceed its cost baseline, with an estimated development cost of close to $2 billion as of January 2025.
The Government Accountability Office (GAO) has warned that the delays in finalizing the design for HACM have put the program behind schedule, limiting the number of flight tests that can be conducted before the weapon is declared operational. As a result, the Air Force will only be able to conduct five flight tests for HACM before beginning rapid fielding efforts in fiscal 2027. The Air Force is working with Raytheon to create a new schedule for HACM that still follows the five-year rapid prototyping timeframe mandated for middle tier of acquisition (MTA) programs.
In addition to the HACM program, the US Air Force may revive its shelved ARRW (Air-launched Rapid Response Weapon) hypersonic program, which was previously considered a promising option for developing hypersonic capabilities to counter China and Russia. The program, developed by Lockheed Martin, aims to counter China and Russia's hypersonic advancements. Despite test failures, the Air Force conducted another launch test in October 2023, but results were not disclosed.
The Air Force aims to accelerate development and procurement of hypersonic capabilities, with a focus on lowering costs and increasing production. The US Air Force plans to revive its AGM-183 ARRW hypersonic missile program, which was paused in 2023 due to test launch failures and reduced funding. The program will be included in the 2026 budget request for funding, alongside the Hypersonic Attack Cruise Missile (HACM) program.
The development of hypersonic missiles is a key priority for the US Air Force, as it seeks to counter the growing hypersonic capabilities of China and Russia. With the revival of the ARRW program and the continued development of the HACM program, the Air Force is working to advance its hypersonic technology and reduce costs, with the goal of delivering these capabilities to the field as quickly as possible.