U.S airforce faces a failed launch of a hypersonic weapon system.
The airforce tested the next-gen missile earlier, but this time around, they were doing it using a B-52 Stratofortress bomber, unlike the previous attempts where it was released tested from Captive Carry Flights.
The bomber landed back with the modern-day missile system still intact at its launching bay, which was intended to be launched during its flight. The mission planned its maiden launch from a B-52H bomber and to study the booster performance, booster-shroud separation, and simulated glider separation.
However, the test got canceled due to a technical flaw in its launch, experiencing a failed launch sequence. The aircraft safely landed at the port where the engineers are tracing out the launch defect and rectifying it to carry out a re-test in the coming times.
Air-Launched Rapid Response Weapon (ARRW) is developed to provide a compact hypersonic missile to infiltrate deep into the enemy lines and to aim the most heavily guarded facilities.
It is competent in its destructive capabilities and will reach an operational capability by 2022, as per military news. Developed by Lockheed Martin, the AGM-183A gets a boost in its launch speed using a rocket motor.
Once it gets detached by its booster shroud and motor, the missile gets up to the speeds of Mach 20, equalling 14,385 mph (23,875 km/h), and aims at targets error-free from distances up to 1000 miles (1,600 km). The hypersonic missile system uses a kinetic impact to destroy the enemies like a large bomb shot from a nearby location.
“The ARRW program has been pushing boundaries since its inception and taking calculated risks to move this important capability forward,” says Brigadier General Heath Collins, Armament Directorate Program Executive Officer. “While not launching was disappointing, the recent test provided invaluable information to learn from and continue ahead. This is why we test.”