US Air Force Says First Hypersonic Missile Test Ends In Failure After The Missile Failed To Launch

Lockheed Martin's hypersonic Air-launched Rapid Response Weapon (ARRW) is intended to travel 500 miles in just 10 minutes once fired from a B-52 bomber. That's 3,000 mph, versus about 500 mph for a conventional weapon. Mike Tsukamoto/staff; Lockheed Martin; USAF 

Defense News: First flight test for US Air Force’s hypersonic booster didn’t go as planned 

WASHINGTON — The first rocket booster test of the U.S. Air Force’s hypersonic AGM-183A Air-launched Rapid Response Weapon failed when the vehicle did not launch during an April 5 flight. 

During tests over Point Mugu Sea Range off the coast of California, a B-52 Stratofortress bomber attempted to launch the ARRW booster vehicle. However, “the test missile was not able to complete its launch sequence” and the bomber returned to Edwards Air Force Base, California, with the test vehicle, the Air Force said in a statement. 

The service plans to study the missile to understand why it didn’t launch, then make alterations and attempt to fire it in a future test, the service said. 

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 More News On The US Air Force's First Hypersonic Missile Test Ending In Failure After The Missile Failed To Launch 

Hypersonic ARRW Booster Flight Test Fails -- Air Force Magazine 

Air Force's Hypersonic ARRW Missile Fails First Flight Test -- Military.com 

US Air Force hypersonic weapon test ended in failure after the missile failed to launch -- Business Insider 

US Air Force test to launch ultra-fast hypersonic missile fails -- CNN 

Air Force hypersonic missile test fails to launch from B-52 -- The Hill 

First Hypersonic Missile Test Has Failed, Air Force Says -- National Interest