A B-52H Stratofortress bomber launched a fully-operational air-launched hypersonic missile in a milestone weapon test for the US Air Force, the service said Monday. The successful test comes after repeated failures and setbacks for the program.
The aircraft released an all-up-round AGM-183A Air-launched Rapid Response Weapon (ARRW) while flying off the California coast on Friday, the Air Force said in a statement.
Once the missile was released from the B-52, it hit speeds faster than five times the speed of sound — a requirement for a weapon to technically be considered hypersonic, completed its journey along a set flight path, and detonated in a target area, the Air Force said. This test marked the first time that a fully-operational air-launched hypersonic missile prototype has been launched. Previous testing focused on rocket booster performance, with the first successful booster test occurring in May.
[DS–great, but I assume the B-52 wasn’t hypersonic? If you need a B-52 to launch, “prompt” response might be a bit late]
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