The U.S. Army has announced a test for its Long-Range Hypersonic Weapon (LRHW) scheduled for December. This information was revealed by the Army’s program executive officer for missiles and space in a recent interview with Defense News.
After facing delays due to complications in testing a jointly developed hypersonic glide body capability with the Navy, the Army plans to field its ground-launched missiles to the first unit by the end of fiscal 2025. The first unit to receive this hypersonic capability is expected to do so at Joint Base Lewis-McChord (JBLM) in Washington state around May, as stated by Maj. Gen. Frank Lozano.
The unit designated for this capability, the 1st Multidomain Task Force, 5th Battalion, 3rd Field Artillery Regiment, 17th Field Artillery Brigade, had received all necessary equipment for the LRHW in 2021 except for the live rounds. Originally, the unit was scheduled to receive these missiles in the fall of 2023. However, various aborted test events led to a revision in fielding plans.
Transitioning the LRHW program from the Army’s Rapid Capabilities and Critical Technologies Office (RCCTO) to the Program Executive Office Missiles & Space is underway, but formal inclusion will only occur once the first round is delivered, according to Lozano. Lockheed Martin is the lead weapon integrator working on the first round at its facility in Courtland, Alabama. Additionally, Leidos’ Dynetics manufactures the common hypersonic glide body, which will be used for both the Army and Navy variants of the weapon.
The unit at JBLM will continue receiving rounds as they become available throughout the year. The Army intends to couple a test firing with operational training for soldiers in December to maximize efficiency, especially given the high cost of the rounds.
The United States is racing to field this hypersonic capability and develop defensive systems to counter hypersonic missiles being actively developed and tested by China and Russia. Hypersonic weapons travel faster than Mach 5 (over 3,836 miles per hour) and can maneuver at varying altitudes, making them particularly difficult to detect and intercept.
In May 2024, the Army conducted a successful end-to-end flight test of its hypersonic missile at the Pacific Missile Range Facility in Hawaii. Following this, the Army and Navy successfully tested the Common Hypersonic Glide Body (C-HGB) in December at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida. This test bolstered confidence in the system’s components, which include the weapon’s warhead, guidance system, cabling, and thermal protection. The Navy’s version, known as Conventional Prompt Strike, is intended for launch from ships.
Although the timeline to field the weapon to the Army has extended by nearly two years, officials emphasize that missile development programs typically require around ten years, placing the LRHW just beyond the five-year mark of its development.
Jen Judson, the author of this report, is an award-winning journalist specializing in land warfare coverage for Defense News. She has also contributed to Politico and Inside Defense and holds a Master of Science degree in journalism from Boston University, alongside a Bachelor of Arts degree from Kenyon College.
