USAF's ARRW unexpected swansong
There is the famous Dutch old saying; "Als je het over de duivel hebt, dan trap je (hem) op zijn staart" ("When you talk about the devil, you step on his tail").
On 29 March 2023, Scramble Magazine wrote about the USAF and hypersonics. Almost simultaneously, on the same day, the proposed Department of the Air Force’s Fiscal Year 2024 (FY24) President’s Budget (PB) request for fixed-wing tactical, training aircraft and miscellaneous projects were presented.
At this moment it is decided, probably cost driven, that the USAF does not intend to pursue follow-on procurement of the AGM-183A Air-launched Rapid Response Weapon (ARRW). This, in favour of Raytheon Missiles & Defense and Northrop Grumman's next-generation Hypersonic Attack Cruise Missile (HACM). The HACM is a hypersonic missile Air-breathing scramjet system which technologies were tested as the Hypersonic Air-breathing Weapon Concept (HAWC). Most prototype USAF tests, in close co-operation with Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA), occurred during 2021, 2022 and the beginning of 2023. Now the industry team is no longer in the prototype phase.
The FY24 PB request of USD382 million for further HACM development allows the USAF to mature HACM to critical design, continue model-based engineering activities, mature the digital ecosystem to complete critical design analysis.
It is believed that HACM will travel more than five times the speed of sound and cover vast distances in minutes. The USAF has stated that it is planning for the missile to be operational by FY 2027.
At this moment, tests are conducted by using a Boeing B-52H Stratofortress. It is possible that in the future, a (smaller) HACM could be used in combination with Boeing's F-15EX Eagle II.
Credit Artist Rendering: Raytheon Missiles & Defense / photo by USAF