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Long-Range Hypersonic Weapon

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US DoD, Navy, Army jointly conducted a flight experiment of a common hypersonic glide body from Pacific Missile Range Facility, Hawaii on 19 March 2020
2020 test launch of a prototype of the Common-Hypersonic Glide Body
Place of origin United States
Service history
In service 2023 (planned)[1]
Used by United States Army (planned)[2]
United States Navy (planned)
Production history
Manufacturer Lockheed Martin
Specifications
Mass 16,300 lb (7,400 kg)[1]
Diameter 34.5 in (0.88 m)(reportedly)[3]
Operational
range
 1725+ mi (2775+ km)[2]
Maximum speed Mach 17[4]

The Long-Range Hypersonic Weapon (LRHW) is a surface-to-surface hypersonic missile planned for use by the United States Army. The United States Navy intends to procure a ship/submarine-launched variant of the missile as part of the service's Intermediate-Range Conventional Prompt Strike (IRCPS) program.[2] The weapon consists of a large rocket booster that carries the unpowered Common-Hypersonic Glide Body (C-HGB) in a nose cone. Once the booster reaches significant altitude and speed, it releases the C-HGB, which glides at hypersonic speeds as it descends towards its target. Dynetics will build the glide vehicle while Lockheed Martin will build the booster as well as assemble the missile and launch equipment.[5] The C-HGB has been successfully tested twice, in October 2017 and March 2020.[6] Also in the 2024 The U.S. Navy and U.S. Army recently completed an end-to-end flight test of a hypersonic missile from the Pacific Missile Range Facility, Kauai, HI. [7]and Long-Range Hypersonic Weapon Battery Integrates in US Air Force-led Joint Exercise, Bamboo Eagle 24-3,it is the first time to enter the exercise[8], The missile is planned to enter service with the Army in 2023. The Navy intends to field the weapon aboard its Zumwalt-class destroyers by 2025 and later on its Block V Virginia-class submarines[9] in 2028; it was intended to also be fielded on guided missile variants of the Ohio-class ballistic missile submarines, but funding delays and the boats' impending retirement caused those plans to be scrapped.[10]

Development and testing[]

Common-Hypersonic Glide Body[]

In 2018, the Navy was designated to lead the design of the Common-Hypersonic Glide Body with input from the Army's Rapid Capabilities and Critical Technologies Office.[11]

Design[]

DarkEagle2021

Long-Range Hypersonic Weapon, 7 Oct 2021

The design of the Common-Hypersonic Glide Body is based on the previously developed Alternate Re-Entry System, which was tested in the early 2010s as part of the Army's Advanced Hypersonic Weapon program.[12] The Alternate Re-Entry System was itself based on the Sandia Winged Energetic Reentry Vehicle Experiment (SWERVE) prototype developed by Sandia National Laboratories in the 1980s.[13] Design work is by Sandia while Dynetics constructs prototypes and test units.

Testing[]

The first test of the Intermediate Range Conventional Prompt Strike Flight Experiment-1, was on 30 October 2017. A missile capable of fitting in the launch tube of an Ohio-class ballistic missile submarine flew over 2,000 nautical miles from Hawaii to the Marshall Islands at hypersonic speeds.[14] The Common-Hypersonic Glide Body was tested in March 2020.[6]

Boosters[]

The first stage solid rocket motor was tested 27 May 2020[15]

Both stages of the missile booster as well as a thrust vector control system were tested in 2021.[16]

On 29 October 2021, the booster rocket for the Long-Range Hypersonic Weapon was successfully tested in a static test in Utah; the first stage thrust vector control system was included in the test.[17]

In March 2021, training with inert missile canisters began.[1] On 7 October 2021, 17th Field Artillery Brigade of the I Corps received ground equipment for the first operational LRHW battery.[18]

The US Army hopes to begin live-fire testing of the LRHW sometime in 2022.

Planned service entry[]

The United States Army intends to deploy the Long-Range Hypersonic Weapon in an eight missile battery containing four M983 trucks and trailers each holding two missiles in launch canisters alongside a command vehicle.[6] The LRHW has been named Dark Eagle by the US Army.[19]

See also[]

References[]

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 Trevithick, Joseph. "Army Delivers First Canisters To Its New Hypersonic Missile Battery But Won't Say Where It's Based". https://www.thedrive.com/the-war-zone/39851/army-delivers-first-canisters-to-its-new-hypersonic-missile-battery-but-wont-say-where-its-based. 
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 Sydney J. Freedberg Jr. (12 May 2021) Army Discloses Hypersonic LRHW Range Of 1,725 Miles; Watch Out China Ranges for:
  3. ↑ Trevithick, Joseph. "Navy Wants Triple-Packed Hypersonic Missile Modules On Its Stealthy Zumwalt Destroyers". https://www.thedrive.com/the-war-zone/39867/navy-wants-triple-packed-hypersonic-missile-modules-on-its-stealthy-zumwalt-destroyers. 
  4. ↑ Trevithick, Joseph. "Army Shows First-Ever Footage Of New Hypersonic Missile In Flight And Impacting". https://www.thedrive.com/the-war-zone/35369/army-shows-first-ever-footage-of-new-hypersonic-missile-in-flight-and-impacting. 
  5. ↑ Roblin, Sebastien (30 April 2020). "The Pentagon Plans to Deploy an Arsenal of Hypersonic Weapons in the 2020s". Forbes. https://www.forbes.com/sites/sebastienroblin/2020/04/30/the-pentagons-plans-to-deploy-an-arsenal-of-hypersonic-weapons-in-the-2020s/?sh=405b983a3a5d. 
  6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 Sydney J. Freedberg Jr. (20 Mar 2020) Hypersonics: Army, Navy Test Common Glide Body "The U.S. Navy and U.S. Army jointly executed the launch of a common hypersonic glide body (C-HGB), which flew at hypersonic speed to a designated impact point"
  7. ↑ https://www.defense.gov/News/Releases/Release/Article/3821376/dod-completes-flight-test-of-hypersonic-missile/
  8. ↑ https://www.dvidshub.net/news/479894/us-armys-long-range-hypersonic-weapon-battery-integrates-us-air-force-led-joint-exercise-bamboo-eagle-24-3
  9. ↑ LaGrone, Sam (28 April 2021). "CNO: Hypersonic Weapons at Sea to Premiere on Zumwalt Destroyers in 2025". USNI News. https://news.usni.org/2021/04/28/cno-hypersonic-weapons-at-sea-to-premiere-on-zumwalt-destroyers-in-2025. 
  10. ↑ Hypersonic Weapons on Track to Deploy on Attack Submarines in 2028. USNI News. 18 November 2021.
  11. ↑ "Hypersonics by 2023". United States Army. 4 September 2019. https://www.army.mil/article/226678/hypersonics_by_2023. 
  12. ↑ Kelley M. Sayler (Updated April 26, 2021) Hypersonic Weapons: Background and Issues for Congress Congressional Research Service, report R45811: also see version of (July 11, 2019)
  13. ↑ Threvithick, Joseph (3 June 2019). "Here's What The Army's First Ever Operational Hypersonic Missile Unit Will Look Like". The Drive. https://www.thedrive.com/the-war-zone/28340/heres-what-the-armys-first-ever-operational-hypersonic-missile-unit-will-look-like. 
  14. ↑ "Conventional Prompt Global Strike and Long-Range Ballistic Missiles". Congressional Research Service. 8 January 2019. https://www.hsdl.org/?view&did=820227. 
  15. ↑ Megan Eckstein (27 May 2021) US Navy conducts first live-fire test of hypersonic missile motor
  16. ↑ Justin Katz (25 Aug 2021) Navy Successfully Tests Solid Rocket Motor For Hypersonic Weapon
  17. ↑ Mike Stone (29 Oct 2021) U.S. successfully tests hypersonic booster motor in Utah
  18. ↑ "Army delivers first hypersonics ground equipment". 7 October 2021. https://www.army.mil/article/250991/army_delivers_first_hypersonics_ground_equipment. 
  19. ↑ Theresa Hitchens (11 Aug 2021) ‘Confident’ Of 2023 Fielding Goal, Army Dubs Hypersonic Weapon ‘Dark Eagle’
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