B-52 Stratofortress nuclear bomber launches HAWC hypersonic missile at over 6100km/h

The US Department of Defense Advanced Research Projects Administration (DARPA) is getting closer to developing a hypersonic missile. The Hypersonic Air-breathing Weapon Concept (HAWC) was recently tested in the US.

Here's What We Know

The United States has been developing hypersonic weapons under the HAWC program for more than a year. The third successful test of the missile took place last summer. At that time, an F-18 Hornet fighter jet was used for the launch.

The latest test involved a Boeing B-52 Stratofortress nuclear bomber. It flew to an altitude of more than 18km and launched a hypersonic missile with a range of 483km. In flight, the HAWC was able to reach speeds in excess of Mach 5 (6174 km/h). The missile will have a maximum speed of Mach 10 (12348 km/h).

The HAWC missile is being developed by Lockheed Martin. It is equipped with a hypersonic ramjet engine developed by Aerojet Rocketdyne. The new development will enter service with the Marine Corps, the Air Force and the US Army.

The hypersonic missile will have an operational range of 560 km. The HAWC does not have a warhead, as it is a kinetic energy weapon. The carrier of hypersonic missiles will be American fighters, including F-35 Lightning II.

DARPA completed tests of HAWC. The conducted test was the final one. Now the specialists of the US Air Force Research Laboratory will study the obtained data. For the fiscal year 2023, the agency requested funding of $60 million for the next hypersonic rocket program MoHAWC.

Source: DARPA