MOBILITY ENGINEERING Produced by SAE Media Group
MOBILITY ENGINEERING
Magazines
Magazine cover

Current Issue

Archives

Magazine cover

Current Issue

Archives

Magazine cover

Current Issue

Archives

Magazine cover

Current Issue

Archives

Lockheed Martin Announces Latest Hypersonic Progress at Le Bourget

A U.S. Air Force Boeing B-52 Stratofortress flying below a Boeing KC-135 Stratotanker off the coast of the United Kingdom on March 14, 2019. (Image courtesy U.S. Air Force/Technical Sergeant Emerson Nuñez)

Lockheed Martin Corporation  successfully flight tested the AGM-183A Air-Launched Rapid Response Weapon (ARRW) on a U.S. Air Force Boeing B-52 Stratofortress  . The captive carry flight – announced during the 2019 International Paris Air Show  – marks Lockheed Martin’s most recent demonstration of hypersonic technology development.

This captive carry flight – conducted out of Edwards Air Force Base  in southern California – is the latest step in the U.S. Air Force's rapid prototyping effort to mature the ARRW, which just completed a preliminary design review in March. The ARRW test article was sensor-only version with no explosives. The test article gathered environmental and aircraft handling data during the flight, such as drag and vibration impacts on the ARRW and its external aircraft-mounted carriage. This type of data collection is required for all Air Force weapon systems undergoing development.

“We’re using the rapid prototyping authorities provided by Congress to quickly bring hypersonic weapon capabilities to the warfighter,” says Dr. Will Roper, assistant secretary of the Air Force for Acquisition, Technology, and Logistics. “We set out an aggressive schedule with ARRW. Getting to this flight test on time highlights the amazing work of our acquisition workforce and our partnership with Lockheed Martin and other industry partners.”

More ground and flight testing will follow over the next three years to expand ARRW’s test parameters and capabilities, eventually leading to the hypersonic weapon’s planned operational status in 2022. ARRW is currently one of two ongoing U.S. Air Force hypersonic weapons efforts. The other, the Hypersonic Conventional Strike Weapon (HCSW), is also under development by Lockheed Martin.

“This type of speed in our acquisition system is essential – it allows us to field capabilities rapidly to compete against the threats we face,” adds Roper.

“With hypersonic capabilities being a national security priority, Lockheed Martin and the U.S. Air Force are accelerating the maturation and fielding of a hypersonic weapon system,” says Frank St. John, executive vice president at Lockheed Martin Missiles and Fire Control. “Lockheed Martin is proud to partner with the U.S. Air Force on this important initiative.”

Hypersonic capabilities amplify many of the enduring attributes of airpower – speed, range, flexibility, and precision – and provide an affordable capability that will overcome distance in contested environments.

The ARRW rapid prototyping effort awarded a contract in August 2018 to Lockheed Martin Missiles and Fire Control in Orlando, Florida, for critical design review, test and production readiness support to facilitate fielded prototypes. According to Lockheed Martin, its robust experience in high-speed flight has positioned the company to be an industry leader in hypersonic technology, providing the most mature and cost-effective solutions for addressing increasing threats in the global security arena.

Lockheed Martin has played a significant role in the research, development, and demonstration of hypersonic technologies for more than 30 years. The corporation has made significant investments in key technology and capability development – including hypersonic strike capabilities and defense systems against emerging hypersonic threats – in support of the U.S. government.

William Kucinski  is content editor at SAE International, Aerospace Products Group in Warrendale, Pa. Previously, he worked as a writer at the NASA Safety Center in Cleveland, Ohio and was responsible for writing the agency’s System Failure Case Studies. His interests include literally anything that has to do with space, past and present military aircraft, and propulsion technology.

Contact him regarding any article or collaboration ideas by e-mail at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

Topics:
Aerodynamics Aircraft Aircraft Automotive Aviation Defense Directed Energy Weapons, Detection, and Targeting Drag Hypersonic and supersonic aircraft Military vehicles and equipment Missiles Munitions Munitions Test & Measurement Test procedures Threat Location, Targeting, & Surveillance Turbulence Vehicles Weapons systems

More From SAE Media Group

    Top Stories

    INSIDERRF & Microwave Electronics

    Feature Image FAA to Replace Aging Network of Ground-Based Radars

    PodcastsDefense

    Feature Image A New Additive Manufacturing Accelerator for the U.S. Navy in Guam

    NewsSoftware

    Feature Image Rewriting the Engineer’s Playbook: What OEMs Must Do to Spin the AI Flywheel

    Road ReadyPower

    Feature Image 2026 Toyota RAV4 Review: All Hybrid, All the Time

    INSIDERDefense

    Feature Image F-22 Pilot Controls Drone With Tablet

    INSIDERRF & Microwave Electronics

    Feature Image L3Harris Starts Low Rate Production Of New F-16 Viper Shield

    Webcasts