The United States conducted its first successful test of an air-launched hypersonic missile last week, the Air Force has confirmed, after several setbacks to the development program for this type of weapon due to failures in the steps leading up to the launches.
The Air Force said in a statement that a B-52 «successfully launched an Air Fired Rapid Response Weapon (ARRW) off the coast of California on December 9,» before adding that «this is the first launch of a complete, operational prototype of the missile.»
«Previous testing focused on propellant capability. After separation of the ARRW from the device, it achieved hypersonic speeds up to five times the speed of sound, completing its path and impacting the terminal area. The indicators show that all objectives were met,» he said.
Thus, Jason Bartolomei, Air Force Armament Program executive officer, noted that «the ARRW team has designed and conducted the air-launched hypersonic missile test in five years.» «I am immensely proud of the tenacity and dedication this team has shown to deliver a crucial capability to our warfighting effort,» he explained.
According to reports picked up by U.S. television network CNN, this type of missile suffered a series of test setbacks during 2021, leading the Air Force to postpone the project after describing these setbacks as «anomalies.» Washington has put the spotlight on this type of weapon, especially after Russia and China made progress in their respective programs.
Indeed, Russia has deployed its Kinzhal hypersonic missiles in Ukraine, marking the first time they have been used in the context of a conflict, while China last year conducted a test involving the launch of a nuclear-capable hypersonic missile that went around the world, in a test that surprised U.S. intelligence services with its advanced technology.
