The US Air Force has successfully conducted a full operational test of the AGM-183A Air-Launched Rapid Response Weapon (ARRW), a hypersonic glide vehicle capable of traveling at speeds exceeding Mach 5. The test, carried out off the coast of Southern California, saw the missile successfully separate from a B-52H Stratofortress and strike a maritime target.
This success comes after a series of earlier setbacks for the program. 'We have validated the design and the physics,' stated the Program Executive Officer for Weapons. 'The ARRW is ready for production.'
The deployment of hypersonic weapons is seen as a critical deterrent in the Pacific theater. The Air Force plans to reach Early Operational Capability (EOC) by mid-2026, with the first units to be stationed in Guam.