Final Captive Test for U.S. Air Force’s Hypersonic Weapon

The Lockheed Martin AGM-183A "Arrow" hypersonic missile could be fielded as early as 2022 if development proceeds successfully.

The 419th FLTS B-52H launches from Edwards on the August 8 AGM-183A hypersonic weapon captive-carry test flight. The grey-painted missile on the bomber’s wing pylon is the IMV-2 vehicle. (Photo: U.S. Air Force)

By David Donald • Contributor - UK

August 10, 2020

Lockheed Martin’s AGM-183A Air-launched Rapid Response Weapon (ARRW, “Arrow”) successfully completed its final captive-carry test on August 8. The carrier aircraft was Boeing B-52H 60-0050—named ‘Dragon’s Inferno'—from the 419th Flight Test Squadron, which operated from the U.S. Air Force Test Center at Edwards AFB in California.

For the test, the B-52 was loaded with two representative ARRW Instrumented Measurement Vehicles (IMVs) carried in tandem under the port wing pylon. The forward missile of the pair was the principal trials subject, known as IMV-2. After flying a series of orbits to the north of Edwards, the B-52 transited to the Point Mugu Sea Range, south of the Channel Islands off the coast of southern California. From there IMV-2 transmitted positional and telemetry data to the range’s ground stations. System integration was also tested and launch profiles for the first flight test were practised. A flight test of the ARRW’s first-stage booster is expected before the end of the year.

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