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hypersonic weapons

Soldiers from B Battery (Dark Eagle), 5th Battalion, 3d Field Artillery Regiment (LRFB), give a capabilities brief on the Long Range Hypersonic Weapon System in Northern Territory, Australia, July 9, 2025. The battery participated in Exercise Talisman Sabre 25. (U.S. Army photo by Sgt. Perla Alfaro)

GAO: Pentagon’s hypersonic programs grappling with schedule constraints, production woes

The Government Accountability Office's annual assessment of major DOD programs details potential risks and delays for three high-profile hypersonic weapons.
Lt. Gen. Heath Collins, director of the Missile Defense Agency prepares before the House Armed Services Subcommittee FY27 missile defense and missile defeat programs and activities hearing in the Rayburn House office Building on April 15, 2026 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Luke Johnson/Getty Images)

Missile Defense Agency looks to demo hypersonic weapon interceptor in 2027

If the demonstration is successful, Project Maverick could lead MDA to fielding an interim counter-hypersonic weapon until the Glide Phase Interceptor is delivered in the 2030s.
Concept art for the Hypersonic Attack Cruise Missile (HACM). (Image courtesy of Raytheon Technologies)

Pentagon taps 6 vendors for accelerated hypersonics R&D

Leidos, GoHypersonic, Special Aerospace Services (Aurex), the Purdue Applied Research Institute, Halo Engines and Kratos have each received other transaction agreements from the Joint Hypersonics Transition Office.
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US President Donald Trump leaves after announcing the US Navy’s new Golden Fleet initiative, unveiling a new class of warships, at Mar-a-Lago in Palm Beach, Florida, on December 22, 2025. (Photo by ANDREW CABALLERO-REYNOLDS / AFP via Getty Images)

Trump, Navy leaders reveal plans for new battleships armed with nukes, lasers, railguns and hypersonic missiles. Analysts anticipate problems.

Their ambitious vision for the platform could run into a variety of technological and budgetary challenges, analysts say.
U.S. Air Force Master Sgt. Marcella Philips, 2nd Maintenance Group weapons standardization loading standardization crew chief, and Tech Sgt. Darrell Stewart, 307th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron loading standardization crew member, secure the Air-Launched Rapid Response Weapon to the B-52H Stratofortress ejector rack, at Barksdale Air Force Base, Louisiana, November 2, 2022. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman Nicole Ledbetter)

Air Force revives ARRW hypersonic missile with procurement plans for fiscal 2026

After nearly cancelling the program, Air Force is requesting $387.1 million in fiscal 2026 to start production of the Air-Launched Rapid Response Weapon (ARRW).
A B-52H Stratofortress assigned to the 419th Flight Test Squadron is undergoes pre-flight procedures at Edwards Air Force Base, California, Aug. 8, 2020. The aircraft conducted a captive-carry flight test of the AGM-183A Air-launched Rapid Response Weapon Instrumented Measurement Vehicle 2 at the Point Mugu Sea Range off the Southern California coast. (Air Force photo by Giancarlo Casem)

Allvin hints at new funding for Air Force’s ARRW hypersonic missile in fiscal 2026 

Gen. David Allvin said the Air Force has two hypersonic missile programs that are "getting into the procurement range in the very near future."
A medium range ballistic missile target is launched from the Pacific Missile Range Facility in Kauai, Hawaii, as part of the U.S. Missile Defense Agency’s Flight Test Aegis Weapon System 31 Event 1a (FTM-31 E1a), held on March 30, 2023 in cooperation with the U.S. Navy. (MDA photo)

Lawmakers propose $25B to fund Trump’s Golden Dome missile defense shield

The $150 billion reconciliation bill includes funding to support development and fielding of Golden Dome technologies, such as space-based sensors and interceptors.
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