The U.S. Army is aiming for one more major test of its Long-Range Hypersonic Weapon by the end of 2024, according to Doug Bush, the service’s acquisition chief. The Common Hypersonic Glide Body, developed jointly with the U.S. Navy, conducted a key successful test earlier this year and will soon be integrated into ship-launched and ground-launched capabilities. The Army has collaborated with Leidos’ Dynetics to build the industrial base for the Common Hypersonic Glide Body, a weapon faster than Mach 5, to be used by both services.

If the Army successfully completes its upcoming test, it will be on track to field the weapon next year. The service recently delivered the first hypersonic weapon capability to a unit at Joint Base Lewis-McChord in Washington. With China and Russia actively developing hypersonic weapons, the U.S. is in a race to field and defend against them.

Lt. Gen. Robert Rasch stated that the Army is close to fielding the capability but more testing is required. The Long-Range Hypersonic Weapon program is at the five-year mark, with the Army and Navy working to overcome challenges faced in previous flight tests. Rasch emphasized the importance of ensuring the capability works every time for strategic-level reasons.