The US Air Force is completing work on a hypersonic air-launched missile. Before entering the final straight, the Pentagon asked Congress for $150 million.

What is known

The Department of Defense wants to receive $150 million in fiscal 2024. This amount will finance the development of a hypersonic missile and the four remaining tests of a promising munition.

In the process of creating the AGM-183A Air-Launched Rapid Response Weapon (ARRW) rocket, not everything went smoothly. The first test of a hypersonic missile took place in the summer of 2019, but did not involve dropping a model from a B-52H Stratofortress aircraft.

The problems started in 2021. So far, the US Air Force has conducted six flight tests. In April, the rocket failed to launch. In July, an AGM-183 ARRW was able to separate from the B-52H’s mount, but the engine would not start. In December, the rocket again did not leave the bomber for an unknown reason.

In 2022, the US Air Force tested ARRW twice, both times successfully. The last test so far took place on December 9 at Edwards Base. Bomber B-52H launched a rocketand she was able to develop a speed of 6174 km / (M = 5).