The US is racing to field advanced hypersonic weapons. Here's a closer look at the programs leading the effort.
Some have stumbled. Some are nearing deployment. Together, they tell the story of America's long and expensive pursuit of hypersonic warfare. For years, hypersonic weapons have been portrayed as the next revolution in warfare.
Capable of traveling at speeds exceeding Mach 5 while maneuvering in flight, these weapons are designed to compress enemy reaction times and evade many traditional missile defense systems. However, one of the most common misconceptions surrounding hypersonic weapons is that any missile traveling faster than Mach 5 qualifies as one. In reality, many ballistic missiles already reach hypersonic speeds at certain points in their flight.
What separates a true hypersonic weapon from a conventional ballistic missile is its ability to maneuver unpredictably while traveling at extreme velocity. The technology has become a major focus of military competition among the United States, China, and Russia. While both Moscow and Beijing have already fielded operational hypersonic systems, the United States has spent years navigating delays, testing failures, and shifting priorities as it works to deploy its own next-generation arsenal.
Today, several American hypersonic programs are moving closer to operational service. Some are undergoing advanced testing, others are nearing deployment, and a few represent ambitious concepts that could define future warfare. If one weapon represents America’s closest path to an operational hypersonic capability, it is Dark Eagle. Officially known as the, the Army-led program uses a boost-glide design that launches a maneuverable hypersonic glide body capable of traveling at speeds above Mach 5.
The weapon is designed to strike heavily defended targets at ranges exceeding 1,700 miles, giving commanders a way to engage high-value assets deep inside contested territory. Unlike traditional ballistic missiles, the glide vehicle can maneuver during flight, making it harder to predict and intercept.has recently gained momentum through successful flight tests and production contracts. While the system is still moving toward operational deployment, it is widely viewed as the most mature hypersonic weapon currently being developed by the United States.
Like Dark Eagle, CPS uses a common hypersonic glide body jointly developed by the Army and Navy. After launch, the glide vehicle separates from its booster and races toward its target at hypersonic speed while maneuvering along the way. The Pentagon sees such weapons as a potential solution for penetrating advanced air-defense systems fielded by rivals such as China and Russia..
Although the system is still undergoing testing and integration work, recent sea-based launch demonstrations have marked important milestones as the service pushes toward operational deployment. While most U.S. hypersonic programs rely on boost-glide technology, the Hypersonic Attack Cruise Missile takes a different approach. The missile is powered by a scramjet engine, allowing it to sustain hypersonic speeds within the atmosphere rather than gliding unpowered after launch.
The Air Force views HACM as a key future capability because its smaller size could allow deployment from a variety of aircraft, including bombers and fighter jets. Developed by RTX and Northrop Grumman, the missile is intended to strike heavily defended or time-sensitive targets while dramatically reducing enemy reaction times. , but the Air Force continues to prioritize it following the struggles of earlier hypersonic projects. If successful, HACM could become the service’s first practical air-launched hypersonic weapon.
The AGM-183 Air-Launched Rapid Response Weapon was once expected to become America’s first operational hypersonic weapon. Instead, it became one of the Pentagon’s most visible setbacks in hypersonic development. , delivering rapid long-range strike capabilities against distant targets.
However, a series of testing failures and development challenges repeatedly delayed the program and ultimately led the Air Force to shift its attention toward newer efforts such as HACM. Despite its troubled history, ARRW played an important role in advancing American hypersonic research. Some reports suggest the Air Forcein preserving technologies developed through the program. Although the Air Force shifted its primary focus toward HACM, elements of ARRW continue to influence newer hypersonic efforts and follow-on concepts.
These four programs represent the most significant hypersonic weapon efforts currently shaping the future of the U.S. military. Other initiatives, including the Navy’s HALO missile and Lockheed Martin’s Mako concept, remain under development but have yet to reach the same level of maturity or public visibility.
Meanwhile, programs such as DARPA’s OpFires have already concluded, while technologies like the Common Hypersonic Glide Body continue to serve as the foundation for multiple hypersonic weapons rather than functioning as weapons themselves. Together, they highlight a broader reality: after years of delays and setbacks, the United States is gradually building the capabilities it hopes will help close the hypersonic gap with China and Russia.
Kaif Shaikh is a journalist and writer passionate about turning complex information into clear, impactful stories. His writing covers technology, sustainability, geopolitics, and occasionally fiction. A graduate in Journalism and Mass Communication, his work has appeared in the Times of India and beyond. After a near-fatal experience, Kaif began seeing both stories and silences differently.
Outside work, he juggles far too many projects and passions, but always makes time to read, reflect, and hold onto the thread of wonder. Military
ARRW China Military Conventional Prompt Strike CPS Dark Eagle Defense HACM Hypersonic Hypersonic Missile LRHW Military Missile Missiles Pentagon Russia Military Technology US Military Warfare Weapons
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