By the close of this year, the first U.S. Army unit to be equipped with hypersonic weapons will receive a full battery of munitions, according to Maj. Gen. Frank Lozano, the Army’s program executive officer for missiles and space, in a recent discussion with Defense News.
In 2021, the 1st Multidomain Task Force, specifically the 5th Battalion of the 3rd Field Artillery Regiment within the 17th Field Artillery Brigade at Joint Base Lewis-McChord, received all necessary equipment for the Long-Range Hypersonic Weapon, known as Dark Eagle, except for the live rounds themselves.
Originally scheduled to receive the missiles in fall 2023, the deployment was postponed due to multiple failed test launches, prompting a delay in plans.
The initial three missiles were handed over to the unit earlier this year, with the subsequent arrivals completing in July. The fourth missile is presently undergoing final checks at Lockheed Martin’s facility in Cortland, Alabama, according to Lozano. He expects the remaining eight to be delivered by the end of December.
Simultaneously, the Army plans to conduct another test of the hypersonic missile.
“This will complete the basic load for the first battery at JBLM,” Lozano mentioned. “Subsequently, we’ll begin preparations for equipping the second battery.”
The delay in munition deployment followed numerous aborted tests due to complications at the testing range and difficulties encountered during the missile launch preparation phase.
Successfully testing the full missile assembly was deemed crucial to verify the system’s safety, efficacy, and readiness for deployment.
The U.S. is urgently developing capabilities to deploy and defend against hypersonic weapons, as adversaries like China and Russia advance their own hypersonic technologies.
A successful comprehensive flight test of the hypersonic missile was conducted at the Pacific Missile Range Facility in Hawaii in May 2024, which significantly moved forward the initial deployment to the first unit.
Although the process of arming the Army with this weapon has stretched nearly two years beyond initial projections, officials emphasize that missile development typically spans around a decade. The Long-Range Hypersonic Weapon program has just passed its fifth year.
For several years, the Army has collaborated with Leidos’ Dynetics to establish the industrial foundation necessary for producing the Common-Hypersonic Glide Body, which will be utilized by both the Army and the Navy. This marks a significant step as the domestic private sector has never before manufactured a hypersonic weapon.
Additionally, the service has independently developed launchers, trucks, trailers, and a battle operations center essential for assembling the first weapon battery.
Lockheed Martin has been designated as the weapon system integrator for the Army’s hypersonic capability, which will be launched from a mobile platform.
In preparation for the full deployment of the hypersonic weapons, the Army has already delivered all required equipment, excluding the live rounds, to the Multi-Domain Task Force unit at JBLM, achieving this milestone two days before the fiscal 2021 deadline. The unit has since been training with the system.
Once the first battery is fully equipped, the subsequent production phase will accelerate swiftly, according to Lozano.
“The upcoming production phase includes not only the second battery but also reloads for the first battery,” Lozano explained. “It’s a sophisticated missile system and, although we’ve successfully tested it, transitioning from a prototype to mass production, ensuring a consistent quality output, is our current challenge.”
Lozano admitted, “Speed in development presents its own set of challenges. Under usual circumstances, a 10- to 15-year missile program would mitigate these risks, ensuring on-time delivery—albeit a decade later.”
“However, the encouraging news is that we are making headway,” he concluded. “We need to maintain our momentum and keep pushing forward.”
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Jamal Peterson reports on defense, aerospace, and tech policy. With a military background and a strategic mind, he dissects complex subjects with clarity, offering readers sharp, reliable insights.
