US Air Force Revives Hypersonic Weapons Programs Despite Contractor Setbacks
Service requests $1.2 billion for two competing hypersonic systems as Pacific deterrence strategy takes priority
July 23, 2025 - The US Air Force is requesting nearly $1.2 billion in fiscal year 2026 to revive and accelerate two hypersonic weapons programs that have faced significant contractor procurement challenges and implementation delays, as defense officials emphasize the urgent need for credible deterrence capabilities in the Pacific theater.
Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. David Allvin announced plans to fund both the Air-Launched Rapid Response Weapon (ARRW) and the Hypersonic Attack Cruise Missile (HACM) in the upcoming budget, marking a dramatic reversal from the service's earlier decision to eliminate funding for the troubled ARRW program.
ARRW Program Returns from Near-Cancellation
The ARRW program, developed by Lockheed Martin under a $480 million initial contract, has cost approximately $1.4 billion in research and development since 2018. The Air Force is requesting $387.1 million in fiscal 2026 to start production of the Air-Launched Rapid Response Weapon (ARRW) after previously zeroing out funding in fiscal 2025 following a series of test failures.
The service's acquisition chief made the comments a day after Secretary Frank Kendall told lawmakers the latest ARRW test failed in March 2023. The program suffered multiple setbacks during its development phase, including integration issues between the launcher and missile that caused several test failures.
However, recent tests appear to have been more successful. "This test launched a full prototype operational hypersonic missile and focused on the ARRW's end-to-end performance," the spokesperson said. The Air Force "gained valuable insights into the capabilities of this new, cutting-edge technology" from the event during what may have been the final test in March 2024.
The ARRW is a boost-glide weapon designed to be carried exclusively on B-52 bombers, with each aircraft capable of mounting four missiles. The weapon uses a rocket booster derived from the Army Tactical Missile System to propel a hypersonic glide vehicle that can exceed Mach 5 and maneuver during flight to evade defensive systems.
HACM Faces Schedule Delays and Cost Overruns
While ARRW makes its comeback, the Air Force's preferred hypersonic weapon—the Hypersonic Attack Cruise Missile (HACM)—is experiencing its own significant challenges. The Government Accountability Office, in its annual report to Congress on the status of various major defense programs, said last week that the HACM is "behind schedule," though the Air Force is working with prime contractor Raytheon and engine supplier Northrop Grumman to field the weapon on time.
Air Force officials overseeing HACM told the Government Accountability Office that the program's first design review was held in September 2024 — six months later than expected — because more time was needed to nail down the missile's hardware design. This delay has forced the service to reduce planned flight tests from seven to five before the weapon enters rapid fielding in fiscal 2027.
The HACM program's troubles extend beyond scheduling issues. Furthermore, GAO said that Raytheon is now "projecting that it will significantly exceed its cost baseline" for HACM, although Air Force officials told the watchdog that removing two flight tests could offer some savings. The program's development cost as of January 2025 was estimated at close to $2 billion — a two percent increase from the watchdog's 2024 assessment of $1.9 billion.
Raytheon received a $985 million contract in 2022 to develop the HACM under the middle tier acquisition pathway, with an additional $407 million awarded in 2023, bringing the total contract value to nearly $1.4 billion.
Strategic Capabilities and Pacific Theater Focus
Defense experts emphasize that hypersonic weapons represent a critical capability for the distributed force strategy being implemented by Indo-Pacific Command. As noted by Dr. Mark Lewis, a leading hypersonics expert and former Air Force official, the strategic logic is compelling: "If I can take a weapon that does everything that a Tomahawk does, same range, same package, but instead of flying at Mach 0.7 it flies at Mach 7, why wouldn't I want that?"
The HACM offers distinct advantages over ARRW in terms of platform integration. The scramjet-powered cruise missile is smaller and more maneuverable than the boost-glide ARRW, allowing it to be carried by fighter aircraft including F-15Es and potentially F-35s in the future. A B-2 might carry as many as 15 hypersonic cruise missiles, while a B-52 could carry even more.
Both weapons are designed to complicate Chinese military planning by threatening rapid strikes against advancing naval forces, buying crucial time for American and allied forces to achieve optimal positioning in a potential Pacific conflict.
Broader Pentagon Hypersonic Investment
The Air Force programs are part of a larger Defense Department hypersonic initiative. The Pentagon's proposed 2026 fiscal year budget comes in at more than one trillion dollars, and $179 billion of that is just for research, development, testing, and evaluation. Countries like Russia and China boast several hypersonic weapons, and Russia reportedly first used one operationally in 2024.
Development of hypersonic missiles is considered a top priority for the Defense Department, especially as adversaries continue to advance their own weapons. Overall, the DOD is requesting over $3.9 billion in FY'26 across a number of programs at different stages of development.
International Cooperation and Allied Integration
The hypersonic program's international dimension offers additional strategic advantages. The HACM program builds on the successful Southern Cross Integrated Flight Research Experiment (SCIFiRE) partnership with Australia, with several HACM tests planned to take place in Australia using Royal Australian Air Force F/A-18s.
Additionally, Northrop Grumman is collaborating with Japan's Ministry of Defense on the development of the Glide Phase Interceptor (GPI), a missile defense system designed to intercept hypersonic missiles during their glide phase.
Industry Challenges and Production Concerns
The Government Accountability Office has identified significant challenges facing the hypersonic weapons industrial base, including limited suppliers for critical components, long lead times for specialized materials, and workforce constraints requiring security clearances and technical expertise.
For example, LRHW officials stated that missiles for the second and third batteries are estimated to cost over $40 million each. This results in a total potential cost of over $1.28 billion to fully equip those two batteries with missiles once the launchers and other ground support equipment have been procured.
Air Force Secretary Troy Meink emphasized the service's commitment to scale, stating they have "a big focus" on achieving scale and low cost for the weapons. "We've got to be able to buy more than 10," he said, addressing concerns about procuring only token quantities.
Conclusion and Future Outlook
The revival of the ARRW program alongside continued investment in HACM reflects the Air Force's recognition that diversity in hypersonic capabilities imposes costs on adversaries and provides operational flexibility. As one expert explained, "Diversity imposes costs on the adversary."
With both programs moving toward procurement decisions in fiscal 2026, the Air Force faces the challenge of transitioning from experimental prototypes to operational weapons while managing cost growth and schedule delays. The success of these efforts will likely determine America's ability to maintain technological parity with China and Russia in this critical domain.
The window for effective deterrence may be narrowing, as defense officials acknowledge that Chinese military modernization continues at pace while American advantages in key technologies risk erosion through continued delays and procurement challenges.
Sources
- Air & Space Forces Magazine. "One Hypersonic Missile's Delay May Explain Comeback of Another." June 17, 2025. https://www.airandspaceforces.com/one-hypersonic-missiles-delay-may-explain-comeback-of-another/
- Defense One. "Air Force brings ARRW hypersonic missile program back from the dead." June 5, 2025. https://www.defenseone.com/technology/2025/06/air-force-brings-arrw-hypersonic-missile-program-back-dead/405867/
- DefenseScoop. "Air Force revives ARRW hypersonic missile with procurement plans for fiscal 2026." June 26, 2025. https://defensescoop.com/2025/06/26/air-force-arrw-procurement-funding-fy26-budget-request/
- DefenseScoop. "GAO warns that Air Force's hypersonic cruise missile program is behind schedule." June 11, 2025. https://defensescoop.com/2025/06/11/gao-report-air-force-hacm-hypersonic-cruise-missile-behind-schedule/
- DefenseScoop. "Allvin hints at new funding for Air Force's ARRW hypersonic missile in fiscal 2026." June 11, 2025. https://defensescoop.com/2025/06/05/air-force-arrw-funding-fiscal-2026-allvin/
- Defense News. "Air Force may revive shelved ARRW hypersonic program." June 9, 2025. https://www.defensenews.com/air/2025/06/09/air-force-may-revive-shelved-arrw-hypersonic-program/
- Defense News. "US Air Force drops Lockheed hypersonic missile after failed tests." March 30, 2023. https://www.defensenews.com/air/2023/03/30/us-air-force-drops-lockheed-hypersonic-missile-after-failed-tests/
- Air & Space Forces Magazine. "ARRW Hypersonic Missile Tested for Final Time. But Is It Really the End?" March 20, 2024. https://www.airandspaceforces.com/arrw-hypersonic-missile-tested-final-time-but-really-the-end/
- Government Accountability Office. "Hypersonic Weapons: DOD Could Reduce Cost and Schedule Risks by Following Leading Practices." GAO-24-106792. July 2024. https://www.gao.gov/assets/gao-24-106792.pdf
- Task & Purpose. "Hypersonics, AI, drone swarms: Pentagon pours $179 billion into R&D." July 2025. https://taskandpurpose.com/tech-tactics/pentagon-research-development-budget/
- Breaking Defense. "Credible prompt strike: How hypersonic weapons could transform Pacific deterrence." Robbin Laird. Breaking Defense.
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