General Atomics depiction of the Common Hypersonic Glide Body prototype. Image – General Atomics
Hypersonic weapons are reshaping modern military competitions. As the U.S. advances its capabilities, understanding the structure, progress, and strategic intent of its programs is essential. Current efforts focus on building reliability and interoperability across domains, creating a cohesive defense network. This integration provides a strategic advantage in contested environments, ensuring systems remain accurate, resilient, and adaptable for future operational needs.
Background
The United States is currently developing three hypersonic weapons programs: the Navy’s Conventional Prompt Strike (CPS), the Army’s Long-Range Hypersonic Weapon (LRHW), and the Air Force’s Hypersonic Attack Cruise Missile (HACM). Compared with China, which reportedly has five hypersonic missile series in testing or operational use, the U.S. has adopted a more integrated approach. This includes using a common missile body for both the CPS and the LRHW, while pursuing a separate air-launched design for the HACM.
These programs focus on conventionally armed hypersonic weapons rather than nuclear payloads, currently in development by some competitors. Hypersonic systems operate at speeds above Mach 5 and often maneuver during flight, which makes accurate targeting more difficult. Because conventional warheads lack the broad destructive effects of nuclear weapons, U.S. hypersonic weapons must be highly accurate and reliable to provide effective military and deterrent value.
Unlike countries such as China, which reportedly has five hypersonic missile series in testing or operational phases, the U.S. approach emphasizes efficiency by using a common missile body for both CPS and LRHW, while HACM employs a separate air-launched design.
Several defense contractors, including Leidos, Lockheed Martin, Northrop Grumman, and General Atomics, are working on the Common Hypersonic Glide Body (C-HGB). Based on the Army and Sandia National Laboratories’ Alternate Re-Entry System, the C-HGB uses a booster rocket to accelerate to hypersonic speeds before jettisoning the booster. Its maneuverable “glide body” design is intended to evade adversary detection and interception.
Lockheed Martin and Northrop Grumman are responsible for the missile portion of LRHW. Once integrated with the glide body, the complete system becomes the Navy–Army All-Up Round (AUR) plus Canister, a shared two-stage booster designed for launch from surface ships and submarines.
Long-Range Hypersonic Weapon System
The U.S. Army’s LRHW is designed to achieve a range exceeding 1,725 miles and provide a strategic strike capability against Anti-Access/Area Denial defenses and high-value targets. It consists of the C-HGB paired with the Navy’s 34.5-inch booster. A December 2024 test marked the first live-fire event using a Battery Operations Center and Transporter Erector Launcher.
The FY2024 Director Operational Test and Evaluation (DOT&E) report states there is insufficient data to assess LRHW’s effectiveness or survivability. For FY2026, the Army is requesting $513 million for research, development, test, and evaluation (RDT&E).
Conventional Prompt Strike
CPS offers capabilities comparable to nuclear intercontinental ballistic missiles while employing conventional warheads for precision effects. The CPS missile consists of a two-stage solid rocket booster paired with a C-HGB, deployed using a cold-gas launch mechanism.
Current plans call for continued CPS integration aboard Zumwalt-class destroyers through 2026, with integration on Virginia-class submarines beginning in FY2025. However, the FY2024 DOT&E report indicates insufficient data to fully assess CPS effectiveness. To support ongoing development and testing, the Navy has requested $798.3 million for RDT&E in its FY2026 budget.
Hypersonic Attack Cruise Missile
The Air Force initially pursued the AGM-183 Air-Launched Rapid Response Weapon (ARRW), but after setbacks in 2023 and concluding testing in March 2024, the program was canceled. In April 2023, the Air Force shifted focus to the Hypersonic Attack Cruise Missile (HACM), planned for operational deployment by FY2027. HACM is intended for bombers and fighters, with B-52s potentially carrying 20 or more missiles. The Air Force requested $802.8 million for HACM in FY2026.
The HACM uses a booster before separating from the body. The missile then uses an air-breathing engine to reach its target. Compared to the ARRW, the HACM currently looks more promising to developers, and its smaller size will allow for a more maneuverable body.
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While hypersonic weapons bring new technology to defense, the U.S. has faced challenges in this area of missile development. Questions remain about reliability, accuracy, and cost-effectiveness, particularly given the complexity introduced by maneuverability and the limited impact range of conventional warheads compared to nuclear alternatives. These factors make hypersonic weapons less about raw destructive power and more about precision and survivability in contested environments.
Programs such as the C-HGB and HACM reflect a resource-conscious approach. Standardizing missile bodies across Army and Naval platforms streamlines development, enhances interoperability, and ensures that future upgrades can be applied across multiple domains without exhausting resources, potentially freeing capacity for continued research and refinement of systems like HACM
For the Air Force, HACM’s air-launched design offers flexibility for rapid deployment and seamless integration with existing bomber and fighter fleets, reinforcing U.S. capabilities in the air domain. This approach potentially reflects a broader strategy: rather than matching adversaries’ arsenal, the U.S. likely aims to build a sustainable, adaptable architecture that supports long-term deterrence. By focusing on reliability and interoperability, current developments strengthen both air and ground domains, creating a cohesive defense network. Combining these domains provides a strategic advantage in contested environments, ensuring that systems remain accurate, resilient, and capable of supporting future operational needs.
Lauren Estrada has a background in global and cyber intelligence, with a strong interest in communicating technical threats to non-technical audiences. She currently works as an Editor & Analyst with Forecast International and Military Periscope, where she contributes to research and analysis on defense technologies. Her previous experience includes defense technology research, regional risk assessments, client-facing intelligence reports, trend analysis, threat of actor behavior, and cyber-focused research.
While pursuing her B.S. in Global Security and Intelligence Studies at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University Prescott, Lauren co-led a cross-disciplinary initiative to introduce cybersecurity fundamentals to students across all majors. Her team designed and proposed a course that bridged cybersecurity and non-technical disciplines, fostering inclusive engagement with cyber skills. This work led to speaking engagements at university industry board meetings and the 2025 National Conference on Undergraduate Research in Pittsburgh, PA.
