Navy Test-Fires Ship-Launched Hypersonic Missile for 2025

By Kris Osborn, President, Center for Military Modernization

The Navy is intensifying testing of its evolving ship-launched Conventional Prompt Strike hypersonic weapon slated to arm destroyers by 2025, a fast-moving weapons development effort intended to quickly close any potential “deficit” or “gap” in the area of hypersonics between the US and major power rivals such as Russia and China.

Senior Pentagon weapons developers have been quite vocal that indeed the US may now be “number 3” in the realm of hypersonic weapons behind both Russia and China, however it may be difficult to discern the extent or existence of any “gap” and if there is one it is likely closing quickly. Nonetheless, Russia has been quite public about its nuclear-capable hypersonic weapons and the People’s Liberation Army – Navy has already test-fired ship-launched hypersonic weapons multiple times from its warships.

Air Launched Hypersonic Weapon

Most recently, the PLA Air Force has armed its H6K bombers with a first-of-its-kind air-launched YJ-21 Hypersonic missile. Its actual capabilities, range, accuracy and ability to hit moving targets may be difficult to fully discern, yet its existence may place the PLA Air Force years ahead of the US Air Force’s canceled Air-Launched Rapid Response Weapon ARRW hypersonic program.

It is within this threat environment that the US Navy recently conducted a number of advanced hypersonic weapons prototype tests in coordination with the Missile Defense Agency and the Naval Surface Warfare Center

“This test demonstrated advanced hypersonic technologies, capabilities, and prototype systems….. Data collected from this test will be used to inform the development of the Navy’s Conventional Prompt Strike (CPS) offensive hypersonic strike capability, MDA’s hypersonic defensive capability, and to mature other hypersonic technologies,” a Navy essay stated.