Amid ongoing doubts about its continuation as a program, the U.S. Air Force (USAF) recently allocated new funds for the development of the AGM-183A ARRW hypersonic missile, managed by Lockheed Martin, amounting to an additional $13,447,746. This brings the total invested to $1,319,270,400, according to the Pentagon, which also stated that the work being conducted in Florida is expected to be completed by next August.
However, there has been no detailed information about what specific tasks will be carried out under the program. U.S. specialized media, such as The War Zone, have sought clarification from both the company and the USAF, but no responses have been provided. It’s worth noting that in the budget outlined for 2025, the Air Force did not request additional funds for the development of the AGM-183A, further fueling suspicions about the program’s status.
For now, it is useful to remember that the ARRW program was intended to be the first hypersonic weapon in the U.S. Air Force’s inventory, operating under the “boost-glide” concept. This means the launched missile would use a booster rocket to carry a glide vehicle to speeds near Mach 5 and at optimal altitudes to begin its trajectory, which would occur primarily in the atmosphere. The missile would follow an erratic flight path, making interception more difficult.
Delving into details, it seems the Air Force has shifted focus from this approach to developing “air-breathing hypersonic cruise missiles,” which function very differently. In this regard, the USAF itself has announced its intention to close the ARRW program in order to allocate more funds toward advancing the new design. Thus, the newly announced funds may well be intended to bring Lockheed Martin’s development to an orderly conclusion.
On this matter, the U.S. Air Force stated: “ARRW will complete the contract closure, finalize documentation and analysis, and perform activities to support aircraft disengagement… The tests will allow ARRW to gather valuable data, develop capacity and skill, enable hypersonic programs to leverage and complement each other, and project overall technology into the future.” It is clear at this point that the tests conducted in March were no longer aimed at developing the ARRW program itself, but rather at contributing data for future projects.
Finally, considering the aforementioned points, it should be noted that the Air Force appears to have already initiated classified discussions to establish the framework for the new program. As Lieutenant General Dale White stated during a congressional inquiry in March: “When we’re in the classified session, I can go into a little more detail about the differences between those two capabilities, specifically, and then we’ll again highlight what characteristics you need based on the mission set.” Meanwhile, William LaPlante, Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition and Sustainment, the Pentagon’s chief weapons buyer, added: “Let’s just say there’s a plan… It’s not something we can discuss in this open session.”
Images used for illustrative purposes only.
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