By Jim Morris, Warrior Vice President, News
The US Air Force is finally waiting this fall to test-flight for the Hypersonic Attack Cruise Missile (HACM), the Mach 5 scram-jet designed to enable precision, high-speed hypersonic air attack from fighter jets or even armed drones in the future.
US Air Force weapons developers have announced that RTX Raytheon HACM is now set for on initial testing on fiscal 2026 (which begins October 1). At the same time, according to unclassified Air Force budget documents, the money spent on the weapon in fiscal 2025 to next year is raising up from $354 million in $802 million.
One of the issues may have to do with the HACM versus Lockheed Martin’s AGM-132 Air-launched Rapid Response Weapon (ARRW). Air Force leaders are said to support for the HACM because it is longer-ranged, smaller and has more flexible, and uses an air-breathing engine that could be used as small as fighter jets – especially on using on integration on the F-15E and the F/A-18F platforms..
The ARRW is carried by bombers such as the B-52. ARRW had some problems during its development and, in March 2023, the program was scrapped because of numerous failed tests. The Air Force was still conducting some undisclosed testing afterwards the cancellation, but later the Pentagon indicated that there would be no research and development.
Then, there was a U-turn earlier this year, and ARRW was resurrected – resulting in a decision that the Air Force would pursue more procurement in fiscal 2026 in amounts up to $387 million. Gen. David Allvin, the Air Force chief of staff, told a congressional hearing the service needs both of ARRW and HACM, explaining that both were critical to catch up with Russian and Chinese hypersonic weapons.
HACM uses an air-breathing propulsion device. For ARRW. it uses a hypersonic speed by an Army Tactical Missile System (ATACMS) and then use a boost-glide to maneuver the target.
Meanwhile, the US is finding to ways for hypersonic testing ranges, especially over land. There’s now an agreement with Australia in the Northern Territories, where there is largely uninhabited areas. It’s part of the 15-year long treaty between the two countries with the SCIFIRE (Southern Cross Integrated F;ight Research Experiment).
They’ll conduct with research into hypersonic scramjet, sensors and manufacturing materials. Among will be tactical planes including the F-35A, the F/A-18F and the EA-18.
Jim Morris is the Vice President of Warrior, News. He has previously served as an executive and senior writer/editor/producer for ABC News and Bloomberg TV.