Report to Congress on Hypersonic Weapons - USNI News

US, Russia and Chine Approach to Hypersonic Weapons

Hypersonic Missile Range

Hypersonic Weapon Deployment Status

Hypersonic Arms Race Accelerates as US, Russia, and China Pursue Next-Generation Weapons

The global race to develop and deploy hypersonic weapons—missiles that travel at speeds of at least Mach 5 (five times the speed of sound) and can maneuver during flight—continues to intensify as major powers compete for strategic advantage in this emerging technology.

US Development Programs Show Mixed Progress

The United States is pursuing several hypersonic weapons programs across its military branches, with varying degrees of success. According to a recent Congressional Research Service (CRS) report, the US Navy's Conventional Prompt Strike (CPS) program has experienced setbacks, with deployment on Zumwalt-class destroyers being delayed from the original 2025 timeline to 2027.

Meanwhile, the Army's Long-Range Hypersonic Weapon (LRHW), also known as Dark Eagle, successfully completed a test in December 2024 that utilized a Battery Operations Center and a Transporter Erector Launcher. This test marked significant progress for the program, which aims to field two operational batteries by FY2027.

The Air Force's hypersonic weapons efforts have had a more complicated trajectory. The service concluded its Air-Launched Rapid Response Weapon (ARRW) program earlier this year after a series of mixed test results. However, it continues to develop the Hypersonic Attack Cruise Missile (HACM), requesting $517 million for the program in FY2025, up from $382 million in FY2024.

Russia and China Push Forward

While the US focuses on conventional hypersonic weapons, Russia and China have prioritized nuclear-capable systems. Russia has already fielded the Avangard hypersonic glide vehicle on its SS-19 Stiletto intercontinental ballistic missiles and deployed the Tsirkon (Zircon) ship-launched hypersonic cruise missile, which was reportedly first used in combat in Ukraine in February 2024.

China has conducted numerous tests of hypersonic systems, including the DF-17 medium-range ballistic missile designed to launch hypersonic glide vehicles. US intelligence assesses the missile has a range of 1,000 to 1,500 miles and may already be deployed. Additionally, China tested a nuclear-capable hypersonic glide vehicle launched by a Long March rocket in August 2021, potentially demonstrating a space-based global strike capability.

Strategic Implications and Defense Challenges

Hypersonic weapons pose significant challenges for existing missile defense systems due to their maneuverability, speed, and low-altitude flight profiles. Current terrestrial-based radar systems cannot detect hypersonic weapons until late in their flight paths, compressing the timeline for defensive responses.

The US Missile Defense Agency (MDA) is developing the Glide Phase Interceptor (GPI) to counter hypersonic threats, though its deployment timeline has been pushed to FY2035 despite congressional pressure to accelerate. In May 2024, MDA announced a formal agreement with Japan to co-develop the GPI system.

The development of these weapons raises questions about strategic stability. As the CRS report notes, "some analysts have identified two factors that could hold significant implications for strategic stability: the weapon's short time of flight—which, in turn, compresses the timeline for response—and its unpredictable flight path—which could generate uncertainty about the weapon's intended target and therefore heighten the risk of miscalculation or unintended escalation in the event of a conflict."

President Trump's recent executive order "The Iron Dome for America," issued January 27, 2025, directs the Department of Defense to accelerate deployment of the Hypersonic and Ballistic Tracking Space Sensor (HBTSS) and develop plans for a next-generation missile defense shield capable of defending against hypersonic threats.

Funding and Industrial Base Concerns

The Pentagon's FY2025 budget request includes $6.9 billion for hypersonic research and $182.3 million for hypersonic defense programs. However, the CRS report highlights concerns about the US industrial base's ability to support future demand for hypersonic weapons, particularly if multiple programs enter production simultaneously.

In response to these concerns, the Department of Defense is developing a "hypersonics industrial base roadmap" to guide investment decisions over the next five years. The plan will address sub-tier supplier development and identify international partners who could aid in expanding the US hypersonic supply chain.

International Collaboration

International collaboration on hypersonic technology continues to expand. In November 2024, the United States, Australia, and the United Kingdom entered the Hypersonic Flight Test and Experimentation (HyFliTE) Project Arrangement to share testing facilities and technical information. The arrangement includes funding for six trilateral flight test campaigns through 2028 with a total funding pool of $252 million.

As these technologies mature, questions remain about their ultimate impact on global security and whether new arms control measures might be needed to address potential risks.

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Sources:

1. Congressional Research Service. "Hypersonic Weapons: Background and Issues for Congress." April 10, 2025. https://crsreports.congress.gov/R45811
2. Department of Defense. "AUKUS Partners Sign Landmark Hypersonics Agreement." November 18, 2024. https://www.defense.gov/News/Releases/Release/Article/3966986/aukus-partners-sign-landmark-hypersonics-agreement/
3. Department of Defense. "Army and Navy Successfully Test Conventional Hypersonic Missile." December 12, 2024. https://www.defense.gov/News/Releases/Release/Article/3999835/army-and-navy-successfully-test-conventional-hypersonic-missile/
4. Department of Defense. "U.S. Department of Defense Statement on the Signing of the Glide Phase Interceptor Cooperative Development." May 15, 2024. https://www.defense.gov/News/Releases/Release/Article/3775546/us-department-of-defense-statement-on-the-signing-of-the-glide-phase-intercepto/
5. Executive Office of the President. "The Iron Dome for America." January 27, 2025. https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/2025/01/the-iron-dome-for-america/
6. Brad Lendon. "Russia used an advanced hypersonic missile for the first time in recent strike, Ukraine claims." CNN. February 13, 2024. https://www.cnn.com/2024/02/13/europe/ukraine-russia-zircon-hypersonic-missile-intl-hnk-ml/index.html

Report to Congress on Hypersonic Weapons - USNI News

In-Depth Analysis: Hypersonic Weapons Systems and Capabilities

Based on the latest information available, here's a comprehensive look at the current state of hypersonic weapons development across the major powers.

United States

Long-Range Hypersonic Weapon (LRHW) / Dark Eagle

The U.S. Army's flagship hypersonic program, Dark Eagle, has experienced significant delays but appears to be nearing deployment:

• Range and Speed: Capable of striking targets over 1,725 miles away at speeds exceeding 3,800 mph (Mach 5+) The US Army's Long-Range Hypersonic Weapon (LRHW), commonly referred to as Dark Eagle, is a ground-launched missile system with a reported range of 1,725 miles.

• Deployment Timeline: After multiple delays from the original 2023 target, the Army now plans to field Dark Eagle by the end of fiscal year 2025 Following a lengthy delay as the U.S. Army and Navy struggled to test the round, the Army will field its long-range hypersonic weapon to the first unit by the end of fiscal 2025

• Recent Progress: The system completed a successful "end-to-end" test in December 2024, marking significant progress toward deployment On December 12, 2024, a U.S. Army's Long Range Hypersonic Weapon system fires a conventional hypersonic missile from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida. The Pentagon said it was a successful "end-to-end" flight test.

• Procurement Plans: The Army reportedly plans to acquire 300 Dark Eagle weapons, representing a substantial investment in this technology However, the U.S. Army now plans to acquire 300 recently developed long-range hypersonic weapons, potentially signaling a shift in urgency.

• Deployment Strategy: The U.S. plans to integrate these weapons into Multi-Domain Task Forces (MDTFs), with episodic deployments to Germany scheduled to begin in 2026 In July, the U.S. and Germany announced that the U.S. will begin episodic deployments of the long-range fires capabilities of its Multi-Domain Task Force (MDTF) in Germany in 2026, which will be armed with the "developmental hypersonic weapons," the Dark Eagle.

Navy Conventional Prompt Strike (CPS)

• The Navy's CPS program uses the same Common Hypersonic Glide Body (C-HGB) as the Army's LRHW
• Deployment on Zumwalt-class destroyers has been delayed from 2025 to 2027
• The Navy continues development work for eventually fielding these weapons on Virginia-class submarines

Air Force Hypersonic Attack Cruise Missile (HACM)

• The Air Force has pivoted its focus to HACM after concluding its Air-Launched Rapid Response Weapon (ARRW) program
• HACM funding increased to $517 million in FY2025, up from $382 million in FY2024
• Unlike the glide vehicles used in Army and Navy systems, HACM is a scramjet-powered hypersonic cruise missile

Russia

Avangard

• Type: Hypersonic glide vehicle mounted on ICBMs
• Speed: Reportedly capable of Mach 20
• Range: "Effectively unlimited" when mounted on ICBMs
• Status: In operational service since December 2019
• Deployment: Currently mounted on SS-19 Stiletto ICBMs, with plans to mount on newer Sarmat ICBMs that entered combat duty in September 2023
• Payload: Nuclear-capable

Tsirkon (Zircon)

• Type: Ship-launched hypersonic cruise missile
• Speed: Mach 6-8
• Range: Approximately 625 miles
• Status: Deployed on the Project 22350 frigate Admiral Gorshkov in January 2023
• Combat Use: First used in combat in Ukraine in February 2024 Russia's Kh-47M2 Kinzhal, aka "dagger," is an air-launched hypersonic missile that has already been launched against Ukraine.
• Platforms: Can be launched from various naval platforms including cruisers, corvettes, frigates, and submarines

Kinzhal

• Type: Air-launched ballistic missile (not a true hypersonic cruise missile or glide vehicle)
• Speed: Reportedly Mach 10
• Range: Up to 1,200 miles when launched from MiG-31
• Status: Operational and used in combat in Ukraine
• Platforms: Currently launched from MiG-31 interceptors, with plans to deploy on Su-34 fighters and Tu-22M3 bombers
• Payload: Conventional or nuclear capable

China

DF-17 with DF-ZF Hypersonic Glide Vehicle

• Type: Medium-range ballistic missile with hypersonic glide vehicle
• Range: 1,000-1,500 miles Beijing also has the DF-ZF hypersonic glide vehicle, with a range of close to 2,000 kilometers
• Status: Operational
• Payload: Likely conventional, but potentially nuclear-capable

DF-41 ICBM with Hypersonic Glide Vehicle

• Type: Intercontinental ballistic missile that can be fitted with a hypersonic glide vehicle
• Range: Intercontinental (over 7,500 miles)
• Status: Being deployed
• Payload: Nuclear-capable

Fractional Orbital Bombardment System (FOBS)

• Type: Launch system that places hypersonic glide vehicle into partial orbit
• Status: Tested in August 2021
• Significance: This approach allows the weapon to approach from any direction and bypass traditional early warning systems A major dilemma in strategic stability is that if a weapon already in space was in orbit and could enter the atmosphere from any direction and maneuver, it would render most current early warning systems useless.
• Payload: Nuclear-capable

Starry Sky-2 (Xing Kong-2)

• Type: Hypersonic "waverider" vehicle that uses powered flight and derives lift from its own shockwaves
• Speed: Reportedly reached Mach 6 in testing
• Status: Prototype tested in 2018, possibly operational by 2025
• Payload: Nuclear-capable Beijing also has the DF-ZF hypersonic glide vehicle, with a range of close to 2,000 kilometers, and the Starry Sky-2, a nuclear capable hypersonic prototype.

Key Differences in Approach

The approaches to hypersonic weapons development differ significantly among these nations:

1. Warhead Type: While Russia and China are developing both conventional and nuclear-capable hypersonic systems, the United States is focusing exclusively on conventional warheads Officials have said that, unlike China and Russia, Washington has no plans to arm any of its hypersonic weapons with a nuclear warhead.

2. Technical Challenges: The U.S. emphasis on conventional warheads requires greater accuracy and presents more technical challenges than the nuclear-armed systems pursued by Russia and China Most U.S. hypersonic weapons, in contrast to those in Russia and China, are not being designed for use with a nuclear warhead. As a result, U.S. hypersonic weapons will likely require greater accuracy and will be more technically challenging to develop than nuclear-armed Chinese and Russian systems.

3. Testing Frequency: China and Russia have conducted substantially more hypersonic tests than the United States, with one former Department of Defense official stating in 2018 that China had conducted 20 times as many tests as the U.S.

4. Deployment Status: Both Russia and China have operationally fielded hypersonic weapons, while the United States continues to work toward its first operational deployment

Defense Against Hypersonic Weapons

The U.S. is developing several systems to counter hypersonic threats:

1. Glide Phase Interceptor (GPI): Being developed by the Missile Defense Agency with delivery planned for FY2035, though Congress has directed acceleration to achieve initial operational capability by 2029

2. Hypersonic and Ballistic Tracking Space Sensor (HBTSS): Space-based sensors designed to track hypersonic threats throughout their flight path

3. Space Development Agency Tracking Layer: A constellation of satellites planned to provide persistent tracking of hypersonic threats

4. DARPA Glide Breaker: Research program to develop component technologies for intercepting hypersonic glide vehicles

The January 2025 executive order "The Iron Dome for America" has directed acceleration of these defense systems to counter the growing hypersonic threat.

Strategic Implications

The development of hypersonic weapons raises several strategic concerns:

1. Compressed Decision Time: The high speed and maneuverability of hypersonic weapons significantly reduce the time available for detection and response

2. Strategic Stability: There is debate about whether hypersonic weapons will undermine strategic stability by creating pressure for preemptive strikes or by encouraging arms racing behavior

3. Arms Control Challenges: Current arms control agreements like New START do not cover many hypersonic systems, creating potential gaps in strategic stability frameworks

4. Industrial Base Concerns: The Pentagon has identified the need to expand industrial base capacity to meet production goals for hypersonic weapons

As this technology continues to mature, these advanced weapons will likely play an increasingly important role in military planning and strategic deterrence calculations among major powers.

Sources:

1. Congressional Research Service, "Hypersonic Weapons: Background and Issues for Congress," April 10, 2025
2. Department of Defense, "Army and Navy Successfully Test Conventional Hypersonic Missile," December 12, 2024
3. Defense News, "Army will field its long-range hypersonic weapon by end of fiscal year," February 26, 2025
4. Popular Mechanics, "Russia Has Unlocked the Secret to Hypersonic Missiles—And That's a Direct Threat to America," March 2025
5. Newsweek, "Hypersonic Missiles at Center of New US Arms Race Against Russia and China," December 17, 2024
6. USNI News, "Report to Congress on Hypersonic Weapons," January 9, 2025
7. The Eurasian Times, "Outpaced By Russia & China, U.S. Could Finally Get Hypersonic Missiles By Fiscal 2025 After Prolonged Delays," February 27, 2025
8. Asia Times, "US losing crucial hypersonic race to China and Russia," February 19, 2025