The US Army is preparing to operationalize its “Dark Eagle” long-range hypersonic weapon (LRHW) within the calendar year, following a series of setbacks attributed to repeated testing failures. This development was underscored in a recent report issued by the US Congress and has been corroborated by a defense official, who provided confirmation to Defense News.
As outlined in the report, the ground-based LRHW is scheduled to be delivered to its first operational unit by the end of fiscal year 2025. However, uncertainty lingers over whether the Army will adhere to its initial plan to deploy the system first within the 1st Multi-Domain Task Force based at Joint Base Lewis-McChord in Washington State.
The “Dark Eagle” LRHW is integral to the US Army’s strategy to counter sophisticated missile threats. It boasts an impressive operational range of 2,700 kilometers (1,677 miles) and is capable of reaching speeds exceeding Mach 5. Designed with stealth in mind, the weapon is intended to evade interception from enemy air defenses by traveling at high altitudes until it is ready to engage its targets.
The system comprises a ground-launched missile equipped with a hypersonic glide body, which is supported by a variety of transport, support, and fire control systems.
The journey to operational status has not been without challenges. Initially scheduled for deployment in 2023, the “Dark Eagle” LRHW encountered a series of technical difficulties that pushed its timeline back nearly two years. During its first round of tests in 2022, the missile faced pre-flight complications, prompting the Army to reschedule subsequent trials to early 2023. Further complications arose when a battery issue was identified shortly before the anticipated 2023 flight tests, leading to additional delays in the operational evaluation.
Despite these setbacks, the “Dark Eagle” program marked a significant milestone in 2024 with the debut of an LRHW battery during Exercise Resolute Hunter. The anticipated deployment of this long-range hypersonic missile later this year aims to enhance the US’s tactical capabilities against near-peer competitors such as China, Russia, and North Korea, all of which have made significant strides in developing hypersonic technologies.
