Lawmakers Want Pentagon to Explore New Hypersonic Systems Testing Sites

The House Armed Services Committee is urging the Department of Defense to study two additional corridors for long-distance hypersonic systems testing as demand for current testing infrastructure grows.

According to the committee’s proposed 2024 National Defense Authorization Act, flying hypersonic missiles at a more regular pace is paramount, but achieving the goal is hindered by limited testing infrastructure, which restricts testing to a few flights annually. To address the matter, the DOD is asked to review new corridors and initiate necessary environmental reviews required for potential hypersonic systems testing in new locations.

The secretary of defense is also being asked to submit a report to the committee in early 2024 about the Pentagon’s plans to use West Coast flight ranges. The report should include costs and schedules for improving facilities, C4ISRNET reported Thursday.

The U.S. military’s push for hypersonics development has been an ongoing process.

In October, the Naval Surface Warfare Center Crane Division awarded Dynetics a contract to demonstrate cost-effective methods for prototyping launch vehicles for hypersonic payloads. Earlier in the month, the DOD awarded the University of Virginia a three-year, $4.5 million contract to research hypersonic systems design, maneuverability controls and operational resilience.