From the latest report prepared by the Office of the Director of Operational Test and Evaluation (DOT&E) for 2024, the Pentagon has expressed doubts about the lethality of the U.S. Army’s new Long-Range Hypersonic Weapon (LRHW) system, Dark Eagle, which was tested for the first time from a ground-based launcher after nearly two years of waiting. For now, it is a system that will use the same missiles intended for incorporation into U.S. Navy platforms, particularly its Zumwalt-class destroyers and Virginia-class submarines starting from Block V, making this a highly significant program.
Addressing some of the concerns raised in the report, the year began with significant efforts by both the Army and Navy to resolve issues observed in previous attempts to launch the hypersonic missile, which resulted in up to three failed tests. In those instances, reports identified the launchers used as the primary obstacle to be addressed.
By the third quarter of fiscal year 2024, both services focused on conducting launch sequence tests, with the Navy successfully testing the All-Up-Round (AUR) prototype. According to reports, the service opted to replace the problematic land-based launchers previously used with new models to advance the missile’s capability assessments. By the end of the year, the U.S. Army had also planned its own tests with a new transporter-erector-launcher (TEL) but ultimately did not carry them out.
Given this situation, the report states that there is currently insufficient information to confirm the lethality of the Dark Eagle system. In the words of the Effectiveness, Suitability, and Survivability section: “There is not enough data available to assess the operational effectiveness, lethality, suitability, and survivability of the LRHW system.” It also warns that: “Uncertainty in weapon capabilities could result in excessive usage requirements or failure to meet combatant objectives.”
Briefly reviewing what the Dark Eagle system entails, it is a long-range ground-to-ground strategic system developed in partnership with Lockheed Martin and Dynetics (a Leidos subsidiary). In its prototype phase, the system consists of a TEL launcher equipped with two AURs housed in containers. If incorporated into active service with the U.S. Army, it will become a battery of four TEL launchers coordinated by a command and control center.
Regarding the AUR missile itself, it consists of a two-stage booster rocket with a hypersonic glide vehicle called the Common Hypersonic Glide Body at its upper end. The first component transports the second to an optimal altitude and speed before releasing it to glide toward its target. Reports indicate it reaches speeds of Mach 17. In its final phase, the missile begins erratic maneuvers to evade potential enemy countermeasures before ultimately striking its target, which can be located up to 1,725 miles away.
Images used for illustrative purposes.
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