According to Bloomberg, the Army acknowledged this week that it failed to meet its end-of-2025 target for the Long-Range Hypersonic Weapon program, which has been under development since 2018. This marks the third missed fielding deadline after earlier delays in 2023 and 2024, despite more than $12 billion invested by the Pentagon.
“Fielding activities include the required integration, safety, and readiness steps to ensure soldiers receive a system that is reliable, sustainable, and effective in operational environments and are on track for completion in early 2026,” the Army said in a statement. It added, “As the Army moves toward completion of fielding, it remains focused on rigorous testing, training, and system maturity to support successful operational employment.”
Dark Eagle is part of a $10.4 billion hypersonic weapons effort designed to give the Army a long-range conventional strike capability using a boost-glide system that travels at hypersonic speed. While launchers and support vehicles are already in place, the missile has not completed the integration and testing required for fielding.
The Army previously missed a Sept. 30, 2023, deadline and another target in September 2025, highlighting the technical difficulty of operating weapons at extreme speeds and temperatures while maintaining accuracy and safety. The missile is being developed by Lockheed Martin Corp., with the Army responsible for integration, testing, and deployment.
On December 17, the U.S. Army announced it had activated the first battery assigned to operate Dark Eagle, calling it “a significant advancement of its military capabilities,” but did not disclose that the missiles were not ready. The first battery is expected to cost about $2.7 billion, including missiles, according to the Government Accountability Office.
The delay comes as China and Russia have already deployed hypersonic weapons, with Russia using them in Ukraine, leaving what Bloomberg described as a concerning gap in U.S. capabilities. It is also an early test for Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, who has called for faster weapons deployment and saw the Dark Eagle launcher during a December 12 visit to Huntsville.
Source: Bloomberg.
