WASHINGTON (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 13th May, 2021) The US Air Force is planning to test state-of-the-art hypersonic weapons technology by the end of this month, Global Strike Command chief Gen. Timothy Ray said in a congressional testimony.
"The Air Force is working as well on hypersonics, the ARRW [air-launched rapid response weapon] and ultimately the HACM [hypersonic attack cruise missile], which is the air-breathing cruise missile. We are hoping to have our tests off the B-52 here by the end of the month," Ray told the US Senate Armed Services Subcommittee on Strategic Forces on Wednesday.
The hearing covered an array of topics that are of concern to the United States' nuclear forces and defense programs during which lawmakers as well as defense officials expressed concern over the development of hypersonic weapons by near-peer competitors like Russia and China.
In April, the US Air Force tested the ARRW, but the missile failed to launch due to an issue that occurred during the first booster vehicle flight test.
Hypersonic weapons travel between five and 27 times the speed of sound, giving military commanders a wider array of options and capabilities, while putting the targeted side at a disadvantage because of the shrinking response time and the great difficulty to intercept such missiles.
