Hypersonic weapons redefine military strategy by compressing decision-making timelines and enhancing strike capabilities against heavily defended targets. Their ability to evade traditional defenses and deliver rapid, precise strikes makes them a cornerstone of modern deterrence, particularly in contested regions like the Indo-Pacific. However, their development is not without risks—technical challenges, high costs, and the potential for escalating global tensions demand careful consideration.
Hypersonic weapons are capable of traveling at speeds exceeding Mach 5 (five times the speed of sound), are indeed reshaping the landscape of modern warfare, introducing a new dimension to military strategy and global deterrence. Their combination of extreme speed, manoeuvrability, and unpredictable flight paths makes them a formidable challenge for existing defence systems, positioning them as a potential game-changer in strategic and tactical operations. Below, I outline the key developments, strategic implications, and challenges surrounding hypersonic weapons, drawing on recent advancements and global efforts.
Key Developments in Hypersonic Weapons
United States:
- Long-Range Hypersonic Weapon (LRHW) / Dark Eagle: The U.S. Army is set to field its first hypersonic weapon, the LRHW, by the end of fiscal year 2025. This ground-launched system, featuring a Common Hypersonic Glide Body (C-HGB) and a Navy-developed two-stage rocket booster, has a reported range of over 1,725 miles. It was deployed overseas for the first time during Exercise Talisman Sabre 2025 in Australia, marking a significant milestone in U.S. military modernization. The system is designed to defeat anti-access/area denial (A2/AD) capabilities and engage high-value, time-critical targets.
Navy’s Conventional Prompt Strike (CPS): Utilizing the same C-HGB as the Army’s LRHW, the CPS program aims to deploy hypersonic missiles on Zumwalt-class destroyers by 2027 and Virginia-class submarines by the early 2030s. A successful end-to-end flight test in May 2025 used a cold-gas launch approach, a critical step for naval integration.
Air Force Programs: The Air-Launched Rapid Response Weapon (ARRW) was revived in the fiscal year 2026 budget with $387.1 million allocated, reversing earlier cancellation plans after successful tests. The Hypersonic Attack Cruise Missile (HACM), a scramjet-powered missile, is the Air Force’s primary focus, with integration planned for F-15s and bombers like the B-52.
- AUKUS Collaboration: The U.S., Australia, and the UK signed the Hypersonic Flight Test and Experimentation (HyFliTE) agreement in November 2024, pooling resources for up to six trilateral test campaigns by 2028 with $252 million in funding. This enhances testing capabilities and accelerates hypersonic technology development.
China: China has made significant strides, reportedly fielding operational hypersonic systems like the DF-17 medium-range ballistic missile with hypersonic glide vehicles, capable of conventional or nuclear payloads. Other systems include the DF-41 intercontinental ballistic missile and the DF-ZF glide vehicle. These advancements have heightened U.S. concerns about a capability gap . China’s systems are perceived as a deployed threat, complicating U.S. and allied planning in the Indo-Pacific, particularly around Taiwan and the South China Sea.
Russia: Russia has fielded the Avangard hypersonic glide vehicle and the Tsirkon ship-launched cruise missile, alongside the Kinzhal air-launched ballistic missile, which has been used in Ukraine. While the Kinzhal lacks the maneuverability of true hypersonic weapons, Russia’s operational systems add pressure to the global arms race.
South Korea is integrating hypersonic missiles with its KF-21 fighter, enhancing its air dominance capabilities. Australia, France, Germany, and Japan are also pursuing hypersonic research, though at earlier stages.
Hypersonic weapons are critical for countering A2/AD strategies, particularly in the Indo-Pacific, where China’s layered defenses challenge U.S. force projection. The U.S. LRHW’s deployment to Australia signals a commitment to deterrence by denial, placing key regional targets within reach and complicating adversary planning. The low flight paths and maneuverability of hypersonic weapons reduce detection time and make targeting ambiguous, challenging missile defense systems like THAAD and Aegis, which rely on predictable ballistic trajectories. The operational deployment by China and Russia, contrasted with the U.S.’s focus on conventional systems requiring higher precision, underscores an asymmetric challenge. This race raises concerns about strategic stability and potential arms control implications. The AUKUS HyFliTE agreement and potential integration with platforms like Australia’s F/A-18s or Japan’s F-35s enhance coalition capabilities, creating multiple launch points and strengthening collective deterrence.
U.S. hypersonic programs have faced delays due to integration issues, production quality problems, and test failures. For instance, the LRHW missed its initial 2023 fielding goal, now set for 2025, and the CPS program has incurred at least $284 million in additional costs due to testing setbacks. The exotic materials and precision manufacturing required for hypersonic systems strain the U.S. defense industrial base, with few companies capable of meeting these demands. Cost estimates, like those for the Navy’s CPS, rely heavily on expert judgment due to limited historical data, increasing the risk of inaccuracies. Critics argue that hypersonic weapons lack clearly defined mission requirements and may not add significant value to existing capabilities, especially given their high costs. The need for greater accuracy in U.S. conventional systems further complicates development compared to nuclear-capable Russian and Chinese systems. Current U.S. radar and satellite systems struggle to track hypersonic threats due to their low flight paths and dim signatures. Investments in space-based sensors and glide-phase interceptors are underway but face technical and affordability challenges.
Hypersonic weapons are a “new game in town,” offering unprecedented speed and strategic flexibility but accompanied by significant challenges. Countries are making strides to catch up with adversaries, but success will depend on overcoming technical hurdles, securing sustained funding, and integrating these systems into a cohesive strategic framework.
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