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A new result in the development of hypersonic missiles was recently achieved by the United States Air Force (USAF) which successfully tested its first hypersonic missile prototype in a definitive version. The new call rapid response weapon AGM-183or ARRW (“Arrow”) it is in fact the first hypersonic solution in the hands of the US military to reach operational status.
The exact speed of the AGM-183A has not been shared in the official publication, but based on the latest successful test run, the Lockheed Martin-designed weapon is based on previous test vehicles that achieved speeds in excess of MACH 5 (over 6,000 km/h), i.e. five times that of sound or more.
The ARRW test was successfully conducted last Friday, December 9 at a training camp off the California coast, but the USAF statement did not arrive until Monday 12 December. Here is an extract communicating the success of the operation.
“This test was the first launch of a complete prototype operational missile. Upon separation of the ARRW from the aircraft, it achieved hypersonic speeds in excess of five times the speed of sound, completed its flight path, and exploded in the ‘terminal area. Indications show that all objectives have been achieved.’
According to the US Air Force, the missile is designed to “hold fixed, high-value, time-sensitive targets at risk in contested environments”, meaning it will be used to target predetermined assets on the ground such as fixed missile sites, radar stations, air defense installations, infrastructure facilities, or even enemy headquarters buildings – basically anything important in a battlefield environment that cannot be moved and must be destroyed quickly. The AGM-183A has been undergoing flight tests since April 2021, but a series of failed flights have cast some doubts on the programme.
The development of hypersonic weapons has long been in the sights of several countries, including Russia and even North Korea. But if on the one hand we look at the use in the military sphere, it should not be forgotten that hypersonic technology is also being worked on to redefine advanced air mobility. The future of transport could one day include hypersonic aircraft capable of exponentially increasing cruising speeds, and for some time he has been working on technologies capable of making the dream come true.
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