Army’s Long Range Hypersonic Weapon Is Completing Flight Tests for 2023

The delivery of the first prototype hypersonic hardware to soldiers of the 5th battalion was on October 7, 2021. Fiscal year 2023 is an important year to the Army for its weapons modernization portfolio. The chief acquisition officer is hopeful that the Army will meet its goals with the long-range hypersonic weapon. More flight tests will be conducted before the build out of the weapon.

Lt. Gen. Rob Rasch, director of the Rapid Capabilities and Critical Technologies Office, said today the Long-Range Hypersonic Weapon program is still on track to field to units by the end of fiscal 2023.

Rasch said that the tests will “characterize” the glide body, the two-stage rocket motor and ground support equipment. Asked what would happen if the test fails, Rasch said the RCCTO team would “manage risk.”

“If we have an anomaly and we don’t reach our … threshold, then we’ll sit down, analyze it and [talk] amongst the team and manage the risk as we go,” Rasch said during an event hosted by Defense News.

Soldiers with the I Corps’ 5th Battalion, 3rd Field Artillery Regiment, 17th Field Artillery Brigade at Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Wash., have been training with the LRHW since last September, when RCCTO was able to send the ground equipment. That equipment included a battery operations center, four transporter erector launchers and modified trucks and trailers. Each launcher holds two rounds.

“The unit is trained, and we’re now working to finish up the testing and then the actual build out of the all-up round,” Rasch said.

Paul Crespo