Lawmakers from the House Armed Services Committee are calling on the US Department of Defense to increase the range of test launches of hypersonic weapons. The Pentagon also needs to increase the number of tests.

What is known

The development of hypersonic systems has one big constraint. It lies in the undeveloped infrastructure and the lack of suitable test sites. But this problem needs to be addressed as the US has high hopes for weapons that can fly and maneuver at speeds in excess of Mach 5 (6,174 km/h).

The House Armed Services Committee called on the US Department of Defense to explore “at least two additional corridors” for testing long-range hypersonic systems. The Pentagon should also initiate any environmental audits necessary to do so.

Separately, lawmakers are demanding that the US Secretary of Defense inform the committee by early 2024 of a plan to “maximize the use” of flight range on the west coast. The plan should include a cost and test schedule to allow training and improvements to be made at the facilities.

The Committee is aware of the need to expand testing sites for hypersonic systems and new aerospace developments that require access to limited air, land and sea space. The lawmakers stressed that the Pentagon was late in implementing the hypersonic testing strategy required by the Fiscal 2023 National Defense Authorization Act.

Source: Defense News