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| Long-Range Hypersonic Weapon | |
|---|---|
 2020 test launch of a prototype of the Common-Hypersonic Glide Body | |
| Place of origin | United States |
| Service history | |
| In service | 2023 (planned) |
| Used by | United States Army (planned). United States Navy (planned) |
| Production history | |
| Manufacturer | Lockheed Martin |
| Specifications | |
| Mass | 16,300 lb (7,400 kg) |
| Diameter | 34 in (0.86 m)(reportedly) |
| Operational range | 1725 mi (2775 km) |
| Maximum speed | Mach 5+ |
The Long-Range Hypersonic Weapon (LRHW) is a surface-to-surface hypersonic missile planned for use by the United States Army. The United States Navy intends to procure a ship/submarine-launched variant of the missile as part of the service's Intermediate-Range Conventional Prompt Strike (IRCPS) program. The weapon consists of a large rocket booster that carries the unpowered Common-Hypersonic Glide Body (C-HGB) in a nose cone. Once the booster reaches significant altitude and speed, it releases the C-HGB, which glides at hypersonic speeds as it descends towards its target. Dynetics will build the glide vehicle while Lockheed Martin will build the booster as well as assemble the missile and launch equipment.
The C-HGB has been successfully tested twice, in October 2017 and March 2020. The missile is planned to enter service with the Army in 2023. The Navy intends to field the weapon aboard its Zumwalt-class destroyers by 2025 and later on its Block V Virginia-class submarines and potentially its Ohio-class ballistic missile submarines.
Development and testing
Common-Hypersonic Glide Body
In 2018, the Navy was designated to lead the design of the Common-Hypersonic Glide Body with input from the Army's Rapid Capabilities and Critical Technologies Office.
Design
The design of the Common-Hypersonic Glide Body is based on the previously developed Alternate Re-Entry System, which was tested in the early 2010s as part of the Army's Advanced Hypersonic Weapon program. The Alternate Re-Entry System was itself based on the Sandia Winged Energetic Reentry Vehicle Experiment (SWERVE) prototype developed by Sandia National Laboratories in the 1980s. Work on the design of the vehicle is done by Sandia, while Dynetics constructs prototypes and test units.
Testing
The first test of the Intermediate Range Conventional Prompt Strike Flight Experiment-1, was on 30 October 2017. A missile capable of fitting in the launch tube of an Ohio-class ballistic missile submarine flew over 2,000 nautical miles from Hawaii to the Marshall Islands at hypersonic speeds. The Common-Hypersonic Glide Body was tested in March 2020. The Army hopes to begin live-fire testing of the LRHW sometime in 2022.
The first stage solid rocket motor of Conventional Prompt Strike was tested 27 May 2020, for fielding on USS Zumwalt-class destroyers in 2025.
Planned service entry
The United States Army intends to deploy the LRHW in batteries of four launch trucks, each holding two canisterized missiles in transporter erector launchers. The LRHW has been dubbed 'Dark Eagle'
References
- ^ Trevithick, Joseph. "Army Delivers First Canisters To Its New Hypersonic Missile Battery But Won't Say Where It's Based". The Drive.
- ^ Sydney J. Freedberg Jr. (12 May 2021) Army Discloses Hypersonic LRHW Range Of 1,725 Miles; Watch Out China Ranges for:
- Trevithick, Joseph. "Navy Wants Triple-Packed Hypersonic Missile Modules On Its Stealthy Zumwalt Destroyers". The Drive.
- Trevithick, Joseph. "Army Shows First-Ever Footage Of New Hypersonic Missile In Flight And Impacting". The Drive.
- Roblin, Sebastien (April 30, 2020). "The Pentagon Plans to Deploy an Arsenal of Hypersonic Weapons in the 2020s". Forbes. Retrieved May 15, 2021.
- ^ Sydney J. Freedberg Jr. (20 Mar 2020) Hypersonics: Army, Navy Test Common Glide Body "The U.S. Navy and U.S. Army jointly executed the launch of a common hypersonic glide body (C-HGB), which flew at hypersonic speed to a designated impact point"
- DoD (20 March 2020) Department of Defense tests hypersonic glide body "The C-HGB – when fully fielded – will comprise the weapon's conventional warhead, guidance system, cabling, and thermal protection shield." Also: comments from LTG L. Neill Thurgood RCCTO
- LaGrone, Sam (April 28, 2021). "CNO: Hypersonic Weapons at Sea to Premiere on Zumwalt Destroyers in 2025". USNI News. Retrieved May 15, 2021.
- "Hypersonics by 2023". United States Army. September 4, 2019. Retrieved May 15, 2021.
- Kelley M. Sayler (Updated April 26, 2021) Hypersonic Weapons: Background and Issues for Congress Congressional Research Service, report R45811: also see version of (July 11, 2019)
- Threvithick, Joseph (June 3, 2019). "Here's What The Army's First Ever Operational Hypersonic Missile Unit Will Look Like". The Drive. Retrieved May 15, 2021.
- "Conventional Prompt Global Strike and Long-Range Ballistic Missiles". Congressional Research Service. January 8, 2019. Retrieved May 15, 2021.
- Megan Eckstein (27 May 2021) US Navy conducts first live-fire test of hypersonic missile motor
- Theresa Hitchens (11 Aug 2021) ‘Confident’ Of 2023 Fielding Goal, Army Dubs Hypersonic Weapon ‘Dark Eagle’