The US military successfully launched a hypersonic weapon on Thursday from the Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, Defense Department officials confirmed.
An unannounced mid-afternoon flight demonstrated the first firing of the Long-Range Hypersonic Weapon – also known as the Dark Eagle – which was launched at Cape Canaveral in February 2023 for testing.
“This test marks an important milestone in the development of one of our most advanced weapons systems. As we approach the first delivery of this capability to our partners in the Army, we will continue to move forward to integrate Conventional Prompt Strike into our Navy and underground fleet to help ensure that we remain the world’s leading military force, “Secretary of the Navy Carlos Del Toro said in a press release.
The afternoon lift-off from Launch Complex 46 in the eastern Cape sparked a social media conversation across the Space Coast, from photos of the missile sent by experienced photographers to comments of surprise sent by unsuspecting witnesses.
“What the heck is this first??? It looked like a rocket. Fast and thin,” said a Facebook user.
The US Army’s Rapid Capabilities and Critical Technologies Office, in conjunction with the US Navy’s Strategic Systems Program, will launch a hypersonic missile on Thursday from the Cape Canaveral Space Force Station.
Rocket photos: FLORIDA TODAY’s 2025 Space Launch Calendar is here
China’s test flight took place less than a month after Russia launched its new Oreshnik hypersonic ballistic missile in the Ukrainian city of Dnipro. On Wednesday, Reuters reported that Russia may open another Oreshnik in the coming days.
According to a Congressional Research Service briefing, Dark Eagle is a self-launched system that fires hypersonic missiles that can exceed 3,800 mph — more than five times the speed of sound.
Reportedly developed by Lockheed Martin and Northrop Grumman, these missiles have a range of 1,725 miles.
“They can reach the surface of the Earth’s atmosphere and remain beyond the air and defense systems until they are ready to strike, and by then it is too late to react,” the CRS summary said.
Extensive flight testing is required to determine electrical sensitivity and predict aerodynamics at temperatures as low as 3,000 degrees. Published in September, the CRS briefing also noted that military officials were planning to conduct another major test in late 2024 “to determine whether to deploy to the first phase in 2025.”
“The army chiefs are said to have said, ‘What we need to do is to make sure that we have a complete end-to-end test as close to a successful operational test. The military needs to be confident that it is safe and successful to put in a team that can go to war. We have not yet had that test case where it was really successful, but we will be, hopefully. , this year,'” said the summary.
US Military: Long-Range Hypersonic Weapon
A hypersonic missile will fly in June 2024 from the Pacific Missile Range Facility in Kauai, Hawaii.
In February 2023, the 1st Multi-Domain Task Force deployed the Long-Range Hypersonic Weapon system more than 3,400 miles from Joint Base Lewis-McChord in Washington to Cape Canaveral. The weapon was carried for Operation Thunderbolt Strike, “a comprehensive test of expeditionary hypersonic launch capabilities,” the press release said.
Soldiers with the 53rd Field Artillery Regiment trained and practiced drills with the LRHW system at Cape Canaveral. Flight tests were scheduled for March, September and October, but DoD officials said the launch did not happen.
“Our Soldiers have developed real missions, with real data, in real time, to produce results from learning lessons and creating readiness. We are learning how we will fight, and our Soldiers are ready to take and use these skills forward,” Brig. Gen. Bernard Harrington said in a news release in March. 2023.
Then in June 2024, the Navy and Army conducted a flight test of a two-stage hypersonic missile from the Pacific Missile Range Facility in Kauai, Hawaii. The press release noted the test marked a step forward for the LRHW and Conventional Prompt Strike programs.
“This flight test of a conventional hypersonic missile represents an important milestone for our nation in developing this capability,” Vice Adm. Johnny Wolfe Jr, director of the Navy’s Strategic Systems Programs, said in a June 2024 news release.
A mysterious motion warning precedes the opening
The US military was assigned to a multi-domain artillery battery exercise using the new Long-Range Hypersonic Weapon (LRHW) in March 2023 during Operation Thunderbolt Strike at the Cape Canaveral Space Force Station.
Before Thursday’s test of a hypersonic missile, the Federal Aviation Administration mysteriously issued a temporary ban on the flight of “unspecified airspace,” preventing pilots from the narrow area that reaches the coast southeast of the Cape. The flight ban started from 11:20 am to 3:02 pm
However, no known orbital rocket launches — such as SpaceX’s Falcon 9 liftoffs — had been announced Thursday from the Space Coast.
The US Coast Guard and Space Launch Delta 45 also gave on Thursday rocket-launching instructions for the movement of sailors at about the same time. Title: “Hazardous Operations.” No other information was released.
Next on the Eastern Range program, SpaceX will launch the GPS III satellite Friday night. The four-hour opening window is from 6:30 p.m. to 10:30 p.m., according to the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency’s travel advisory.
The Falcon 9 rocket will lift off from Launch Complex 40 at the Cape Canaveral Space Force Station. FLORIDA TODAY Space Team live coverage begins 90 minutes before liftoff at floridatoday.com/space.
Rick Neale iSpace Reporter at FLORIDA TODAY. Contact Neale at Rneale@floridatoday.com. Twitter/X: @RickNeale1
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This article originally appeared on Florida Today: US military launches Dark Eagle hypersonic missile from Cape Canaveral.