Air Force Tests Lockheed-Built Hypersonic Weapon

A Lockheed Martin hypersonic weapon prototype has undergone testing at the Reagan Test Site in the Marshall Islands.

Lockheed is developing the AGM-183A Air-launched Rapid Response Weapon to provide the U.S. Air Force with a hypersonic capability with speeds greater than Mach 5.

The ARRW trial on Sunday, during which the weapon was launched from a B-52H Stratofortress, is believed to be the final test.

Earlier in March, Air Force officials said the weapon’s next trial would be the last, citing plans to complete the ARRW’s prototyping phase in the coming months, C4ISRNET reported.

The Air Force did not reveal the results of the trial event, but said that it generated significant data that can advance other hypersonic programs.

According to an Air Force official, the military branch will review the test results to identify which hypersonic capabilities should be acquired.

The service is also evaluating other weapons, including the Hypersonic Attack Cruise Missile from Northrop Grumman and Raytheon.

According to budget documents, the Air Force is seeking $517 million in fiscal year 2025 for the continuous HACM development. The budget request does not include funding for the ARRW.