Lockheed Martin AGM-183 Air-Launched Rapid Response Weapon (ARRW)

[bring_it_on]

^^ Yeah I get that (and don't like it) but that's what they've done in the recent past and based on what they've revealed so far - that's what they plan on do here as well. JATM, JASSM, ARRW, HACM etc etc.

 

[Forest Green]

As long as it works, I don't care if they call it 'Paddington Bear', or 'Mister McMissileface'.

 

[sferrin]

Interesting contrast re test philosophy:

 

[aonestudio]

Air Force conducts successful hypersonic weapon test

A U.S. Air Force B-52H Stratofortress successfully released an AGM-183A Air-launched Rapid Response Weapon off the Southern California coast. The ARRW is designed to enable the U.S. to hold fixed,

www.af.mil

Published May 16, 2022
Secretary of the Air Force Public Affairs
EGLIN AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. (AFNS) --
A U.S. Air Force B-52H Stratofortress successfully released an AGM-183A Air-launched Rapid Response Weapon, or ARRW, off the Southern California coast, May 14.

Following separation from the aircraft, the ARRW’s booster ignited and burned for expected duration, achieving hypersonic speeds five times greater than the speed of sound.

“This was a major accomplishment by the ARRW team, for the weapons enterprise, and our Air Force,” said Brig. Gen. Heath Collins, Air Force Program Executive Officer for Weapons. “The team's tenacity, expertise, and commitment were key in overcoming the past year's challenges to get us to the recent success. We are ready to build on what we've learned and continue moving hypersonics forward.”

The 419th Flight Test Squadron and the Global Power Bomber Combined Test Force, or GPB CTF, both at Edwards Air Force Base, California, executed the test.

"The test team made sure we executed this test flawlessly," said Lt. Col. Michael Jungquist, 419th FLTS commander and GPB CTF director. "Our highly-skilled team made history on this first air-launched hypersonic weapon. We're doing everything we can to get this game-changing weapon to the warfighter as soon as possible."

ARRW is designed to enable the U.S. to hold fixed, high-value, time-sensitive targets at risk in contested environments from stand-off distances. It will also expand precision-strike capabilities by enabling rapid response strikes against heavily defended land targets.

 

[X-39]

Finally!! Realistically, it was only a matter of time until they got Rapid Prototyping right just like SpaceX with the Falcon 9 failures and SN series that kept crashing upon landing, all of this while sticking to the overly ambitius schedule. Kudos to them!
EDIT: I can already imagine YT Clickbaiters having a field day with titles such as: "US IS TESTING IT'S NEWEST $200 MILLION HYPERSONIC MISSILE THAT THE WORLD SHOULD FEAR"

 

[Ronny]

Air Force conducts successful hypersonic weapon test

A U.S. Air Force B-52H Stratofortress successfully released an AGM-183A Air-launched Rapid Response Weapon off the Southern California coast. The ARRW is designed to enable the U.S. to hold fixed,

www.af.mil

Published May 16, 2022
Secretary of the Air Force Public Affairs
EGLIN AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. (AFNS) --
A U.S. Air Force B-52H Stratofortress successfully released an AGM-183A Air-launched Rapid Response Weapon, or ARRW, off the Southern California coast, May 14.

Following separation from the aircraft, the ARRW’s booster ignited and burned for expected duration, achieving hypersonic speeds five times greater than the speed of sound.

“This was a major accomplishment by the ARRW team, for the weapons enterprise, and our Air Force,” said Brig. Gen. Heath Collins, Air Force Program Executive Officer for Weapons. “The team's tenacity, expertise, and commitment were key in overcoming the past year's challenges to get us to the recent success. We are ready to build on what we've learned and continue moving hypersonics forward.”

The 419th Flight Test Squadron and the Global Power Bomber Combined Test Force, or GPB CTF, both at Edwards Air Force Base, California, executed the test.

"The test team made sure we executed this test flawlessly," said Lt. Col. Michael Jungquist, 419th FLTS commander and GPB CTF director. "Our highly-skilled team made history on this first air-launched hypersonic weapon. We're doing everything we can to get this game-changing weapon to the warfighter as soon as possible."

ARRW is designed to enable the U.S. to hold fixed, high-value, time-sensitive targets at risk in contested environments from stand-off distances. It will also expand precision-strike capabilities by enabling rapid response strikes against heavily

finally. hopefully they can fly some HACM soon as well

 

[sferrin]

Praise the Lords of Kobol. So it sounds like they just fired the booster rather than flight tested the glider. That's something. I guess.

 

[NMaude]

Following separation from the aircraft, the ARRW’s booster ignited and burned for expected duration, achieving hypersonic speeds five times greater than the speed of sound.

About bloody time!

So it sounds like they just fired the booster rather than flight tested the glider.

So the booster carried a mass-simulator instead of an actual glider?

 

[Ronny]

Praise the Lords of Kobol. So it sounds like they just fired the booster rather than flight tested the glider. That's something. I guess.

Well 50% at least

 

[bring_it_on]

Praise the Lords of Kobol. So it sounds like they just fired the booster rather than flight tested the glider. That's something. I guess.

The glider equipped AUR test is currently planned for end of year assuming the re-design of the BGV is successful and is ready for flight test.

 

[sferrin]

Praise the Lords of Kobol. So it sounds like they just fired the booster rather than flight tested the glider. That's something. I guess.

The glider equipped AUR test is currently planned for end of year assuming the re-design of the BGV is successful and is ready for flight test.

Dumb question but how do they know they need to redesign it if they haven't flown it yet?

 

[bring_it_on]

Praise the Lords of Kobol. So it sounds like they just fired the booster rather than flight tested the glider. That's something. I guess.

The glider equipped AUR test is currently planned for end of year assuming the re-design of the BGV is successful and is ready for flight test.

Dumb question but how do they know they need to redesign it if they haven't flown it yet?

They did fly it and the flight test revealed a need to redesign before additional tests.

 

[sferrin]

Praise the Lords of Kobol. So it sounds like they just fired the booster rather than flight tested the glider. That's something. I guess.

The glider equipped AUR test is currently planned for end of year assuming the re-design of the BGV is successful and is ready for flight test.

Dumb question but how do they know they need to redesign it if they haven't flown it yet?

They did fly it and the flight test revealed a need to redesign before additional tests.

The glider flew on THIS test or on some previous test? My understanding is this is the first test they've even got the motor to light and I didn't see any mention of the glider being flown, only that the booster reached Mach 5.

 

[bring_it_on]

It flew during a dedicated Tactical Boost Glide program test probably using a different booster. The plan is to complete re-design and fly the glider off of the AGM-183A itself by end of the year with some possibility of flight tests using the TBG stack ahead of that to validate the design though that is speculation on my part.

 

[Josh_TN]

I hadn't heard that the glider had been tested or that it had to be redesigned...do you have a link for that? Was the test a failure or was it more or less successful but pointed to issues/inefficiencies with the design?

 

[sferrin]

It flew during a dedicated Tactical Boost Glide program test probably using a different booster. The plan is to complete re-design and fly the glider off of the AGM-183A itself by end of the year with some possibility of flight tests using the TBG stack ahead of that to validate the design.

I was thinking it had a unique glider and that the USN and Army shared a glider (more like a maneuvering RV IIRC) on their upcoming ballistic missiles. Has it been stated then that the DARPA TBG and the ARRW use the same glider? I thought TBG was a Raytheon product while ARRW is Lockheed Martin. Are there other sources than this:

"The DARPA program, called Tactical Boost Glide (TBG)—intended as a Mach 7 missile—was to serve as the basis of ARRW, but now the projects seem to be in parallel. John Varley, vice president for hypersonics at Lockheed Martin Missiles and Fire Control (MFC), said ARRW’s progress allowed it to pull even with the TBG effort.

The two projects were not intended to run in parallel, but had the company waited until all the work on TBG was complete, Varley said, “we wouldn’t be moving at the pace the customer’s looking for. … So, we’re going to learn. We’re going to fly TBG,” and incorporate discoveries into ARRW.

In the meantime, TBG will continue to do flight verifications, developmental testing, “inertial measurement testing, booster testing, and glide body testing. And we’re going to insert those lessons along the way.”

Prototype programs typically don’t have hardware built by the critical design review stage, he acknowledged, but “this is very mature.”

The Hypersonics Push | Air & Space Forces Magazine

Pentagon leaders provide a first look at plans for testing and producing future hypersonic weapons.

www.airforcemag.com

 

[bring_it_on]

Yes ARRW uses the TBG glider with the current version being designed by Lockheed and an alternate version being worked on by RaytheonS

 

[bring_it_on]

Was the test a failure or was it more or less successful but pointed to issues/inefficiencies with the design?

The official statement is simply that, following the first flight test, the glider needs re-design and follow on testing.

 

[sferrin]

Yes ARRW uses the TBG glider with the current version being designed by Lockheed and an alternate version being worked on by RaytheonS

Which one flew and is in need of redesign? Then LM one? Is there any plan to fly the other manufacturer's glider? Any chance they'd make a swap if the second vendor's glider was better?

 

[bring_it_on]

Design Fix Required After DARPA Secretly Tested Hypersonic TBG | Aviation Week Network

DARPA has secretly tested a hypersonic Tactical Boost Glide system as a risk-reduction effort for the U.S. Air Force’s Air-launched Rapid Response Weapon.

aviationweek.com

 

[bring_it_on]

Yes ARRW uses the TBG glider with the current version being designed by Lockheed and an alternate version being worked on by RaytheonS

Which one flew and is in need of redesign? Then LM one? Is there any plan to fly the other manufacturer's glider? Any chance they'd make a swap if the second vendor's glider was better?

Yes it was Lockheed’s. Raytheon is finishing up design on its glider and I believe it will be flight tested sometime in the future.

 

[NMaude]

So if I understand correctly the successful test was just a test of the booster with a mass-simulator with the same mass and ballistic characteristics representing the actual TGV?

 

[Josh_TN]

I believe that is all, yes. This was I think a repeat of booster test that failed three times previously. But perhaps they can still do an end to end test this year; I believe it’s still scheduled that way (though the schedule hinges on booster testing would finally resolve itself). I didn’t realize there were two separate gliders but that does make me hope at least one of them will be suitable by end of year.

 

[bobbymike]

AFRL seeks information on manufacturing capacity and capability for hypersonic missiles | InsideDefense.com

The Air Force Research Laboratory is seeking information from industry on the capability and capacity for domestic production of position, navigation and guidance components for hypersonic systems, according to an online solicitation posted this month.

insidedefense.com

72 a year how about 720?

 

[Josh_TN]

AFRL seeks information on manufacturing capacity and capability for hypersonic missiles | InsideDefense.com

The Air Force Research Laboratory is seeking information from industry on the capability and capacity for domestic production of position, navigation and guidance components for hypersonic systems, according to an online solicitation posted this month.

insidedefense.com

72 a year how about 720?

You won’t see anything like that until HACM enters production. CPS/LRHW are going to be produced in small numbers and it remains to be seen if ARRW is produced at all.

 

[bring_it_on]

Given that they haven't gone up to that buy/build rate with the JASSM-ER (sub $2 Million missile) yet, there is no chance they'll ever get to it with HACM either.

 

[Ronny]

AFRL seeks information on manufacturing capacity and capability for hypersonic missiles | InsideDefense.com

The Air Force Research Laboratory is seeking information from industry on the capability and capacity for domestic production of position, navigation and guidance components for hypersonic systems, according to an online solicitation posted this month.

insidedefense.com

72 a year how about 720?

You won’t see anything like that until HACM enters production. CPS/LRHW are going to be produced in small numbers and it remains to be seen if ARRW is produced at all.

realistically, I think ARRW and LRHW gonna be bought at rate of 7-17/year
HACM gonna be 50-70/ year hopefully

 

[bring_it_on]

Where does the 7-17 number come from? Thin air?

 

[Ronny]

Where does the 7-17 number come from? Thin air?

you know what " I think" mean right?

 

[In_A_Dream]

Where does the 7-17 number come from? Thin air?

you know what " I think" mean right?

Don't mind him.

 

[bring_it_on]

So if I understand correctly the successful test was just a test of the booster with a mass-simulator with the same mass and ballistic characteristics representing the actual TGV?

It's the first flight test so that's what gets tested first (safe separation from B-52, booster ignition and booster performance), . There will probably be additional booster flight tests followed by an AUR test which could happen as early as Q1 of FY-23 which would be by December. Meanwhile, TBG has had one flight test, and has others planned as well that will test the glider(s) independently as well. DARPA plans to conduct one flight test in FY-22 (so by end of September), and another in FY-23 to close out the program.

 

[Josh_TN]

Slightly OT; has either of the HAWC models reported to have been tested more than once? IIRC the original plan was for three tests of each manufacturer's submission and to close out the program this year?

 

[bring_it_on]

Not yet though DARPA has not officially confirmed the number of planned flight tests for HAWC (the number 3 per vendor comes from Aviation Week which has had a mixed record with truth on these programs). There are tests planned this year, and four MoHAWC tests planned for next year I believe so not sure what the current internal number is for remaining HAWC flight tests.

 

[bring_it_on]

“We are pleased to report” that the hypersonic AGM-183 Air-launched Rapid Response Weapon, or ARRW, “successfully completed boosted test flight 2B” from a B-52 on May 14, Richardson told the committee. “The next boosted test flight is slated for this summer.”

USAF Leaders on Hypersonics, B-21 Production, the E-7 Transition, and Buying Fewer HH-60s - Air Force Magazine

USAF leaders reported a repeat of a hypersonic missile test coming up this summer and the potential to speed up buying the B-21 Raider.

www.airforcemag.com

 

[sferrin]

 

[NMaude]

Good! I wonder when it will appear on YouTube? I suppose this was only a test of the booster with a mass-simulator representing the actual payload?

 

[flateric]

Richardson: TBG and HAWC Can Still 'Inform' Other Hypersonic Efforts | Air & Space Forces Magazine

The head of Air Force Materiel Command explained why the HAWC and TBG hypersonic programs still have value.

www.airforcemag.com

 

[sferrin]

Richardson: TBG and HAWC Can Still 'Inform' Other Hypersonic Efforts | Air & Space Forces Magazine

The head of Air Force Materiel Command explained why the HAWC and TBG hypersonic programs still have value.

www.airforcemag.com

That reads like they've already decided both programs are failures.

 

[In_A_Dream]

Richardson: TBG and HAWC Can Still 'Inform' Other Hypersonic Efforts | Air & Space Forces Magazine

The head of Air Force Materiel Command explained why the HAWC and TBG hypersonic programs still have value.

www.airforcemag.com

That reads like they've already decided both programs are failures.

Need to find policy officials who find it worthwhile to be more aggressive for the sake of deterrence. The US has the capability to move much faster with these kind of programs, but we're not. And it's frustrating people. However, our "competitor" across the ocean wouldn't be happy about it and would ruffle lots of feathers in Corporate America/Washington.

 

[Forest Green]

That reads like they've already decided both programs are failures.

It reads like HACM and ARRW are the projects the USAF is going ahead with.