Latest news with #Long-RangeHypersonicWeapon
The Star
a day ago
- Politics
- The Star
US debuts hypersonic missile in Australia. Is it a deterrent against China?
The US appears to be strengthening its allied deterrence against China by deploying its Dark Eagle hypersonic missile, a move that could 'further intensify' regional rivalry, Chinese experts have warned. The United States Army Pacific, a service component for America's Indo-Pacific Command, confirmed on the weekend that it had deployed a Long-Range Hypersonic Weapon (LRHW) system – commonly referred to as Dark Eagle – to Australia's Northern Territory as part of the three-week Talisman Sabre 2025 military exercise that wrapped up on Monday. It was the first time that the weapon had been used overseas and beyond the continental US. 'The deployment of the LRHW system to Australia is a major milestone for the army and demonstrates our ability to rapidly deploy and operate advanced capabilities in support of our allies and partners,' Wade Germann, commander of the Hawaii-based 3rd Multi-Domain Task Force which transported the weapon to Australia, said on Sunday. As a land-based, manoeuvrable missile system, Dark Eagle can travel at over 6,100km/h (3,800mph) and strike targets more than 2,700km (1,700 miles) away. The US deployment of the weapon showed a 'flexing of military muscle', according to Xin Qiang, deputy director of the Centre for American Studies at Fudan University in Shanghai. He said the move indicated the importance that Washington attached to the US-Australia alliance, including its readiness to strengthen defence coordination and security cooperation with Canberra. Xin expected that the deployment was unlikely to have a direct impact on China. He said many US actions had targeted China in recent years, including the Aukus trilateral security partnership with Australia and the United Kingdom. 'I'm afraid that is also the main intention of the US [this time] – to exert a certain deterrence against China, to demonstrate the unity and interoperability of its alliances, as well as the credibility of its stated security commitment to the region – to project this posture and attitude,' he said. Chen Hong, director of the Australian Studies Centre at East China Normal University in Shanghai, said the US had been steadily cultivating and shaping Australia into a key military hub for American forces since the US began advancing its Indo-Pacific strategy. With the LRHW deployment, the US was seeking to comprehensively and gradually improve Australia's long-range strike ability, he said. He said he expected that Washington aimed to turn the South Pacific nation into a potential launch pad for future military action against China. 'Australia has not only already been a tool of the US Indo-Pacific strategy, but is increasingly becoming both a strategic and tactical weapon for Washington across multiple aspects,' Chen said. The overseas deployment of the hypersonic missile system is another example of Washington ratcheting up its force projection in the Asia-Pacific region. The US deployed a Typhon missile system – also known as the Mid-Range Capability (MRC) system – in the Philippines last year, with the weapon apparently remaining in the Southeast Asian country, drawing repeated criticism from Beijing. Xin, from Fudan, expected that China would be vigilant about the US deployment of Dark Eagle, although he also said China's own development of hypersonic weapons had been rapid in recent years. He said US military deployments in the Philippines and Japan, as well as Washington's policy statements on the South China Sea and Taiwan Strait, targeted Beijing. 'I think China will certainly maintain a high level of alertness and attention to this,' Xin said. 'The military and security rivalry or competition between China and the US in the Indo-Pacific is likely to further intensify.' Zhou Bo, a retired senior colonel in the People's Liberation Army, said the inclusion of Dark Eagle in the Talisman Sabre 2025 exercise carried symbolic weight, as the weapon could reach China's periphery. If the missile, with a range of around 2,720km, were placed at Steep Point, mainland Australia's westernmost location, it could strike as far as the James Shoal in the South China Sea, said Zhou, who is also a senior fellow in the Centre for International Security and Strategy at Tsinghua University. Still, he said, the weapon was unlikely to be the 'game changer' the US military had described, given that China's DF-17 hypersonic missile had a comparable range and the DF-27 could reach up to 8,000km – far surpassing that of the LRHW. 'In terms of weapons comparison, it's not a case of them having something we don't. What we have may even be better than theirs,' he said. He also noted that the weapon's use in the Talisman Sabre 2025 exercise would not guarantee its future stationing in Australia, and that it was difficult to conclude whether Canberra would approve its use on Australian territory during wartime. Fu Qianshao, a Chinese military aviation analyst and former member of the air force, also expected that deploying Dark Eagle in Australia was of little threat to China. 'Even if it were to pose a threat, we have corresponding countermeasures,' he said. The latest Talisman Sabre drill, a biennial event involving more than 40,000 troops from the US, Australia and 17 other nations this year, started on July 13 while the Australian Prime Minister, Anthony Albanese, was in China. In recent years, Australia has increased its military presence in the South China Sea, while China's surprise live-fire naval drills in international waters of the Tasman Sea earlier this year drew protests from Canberra. Meanwhile, Canberra is also facing growing pressure from Washington on defence matters. The Pentagon has reportedly urged both Australia and Japan to clarify their positions in the event of a conflict with Beijing over Taiwan. 'What makes us alert and concerned is that there seems to be an increasingly evident rift or divergence between Canberra's diplomatic and military spheres,' Chen said. He said the Albanese government's efforts to improve relations with China through diplomacy continued to be undermined – or sabotaged – by its defence and security sectors. 'If the Albanese government succumbs to pressure and political inducements from the US military and Australia's domestic China hawks, the hard-won progress in China-Australia bilateral relations could be damaged, or even lost entirely,' he said. -- SOUTH CHINA MORNING POST
Newsweek
3 days ago
- Science
- Newsweek
US Issues Update on New Hypersonic Weapon
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. The United States is scheduled to deploy a hypersonic weapon unit by the end of September, the Army said, as the Pentagon races to close the gap in this field with its major adversaries. The Long-Range Hypersonic Weapon (LRHW) is scheduled to deploy its first operational battery by the end of fiscal year 2025, the Army said in a written response to Newsweek. Each LRHW battery consists of four launchers equipped with a total of eight hypersonic missiles—which have a reported range of 1,725 miles—alongside a Battery Operations Center (BOC) and a support vehicle, according to a Congressional Research Service report. Why It Matters A hypersonic weapon can travel at Mach 5 or faster—over five times the speed of sound. Both of the U.S.'s major rivals—Russia and China—as well as regional adversaries such as North Korea and Iran say they have developed and deployed this new class of weapon. In July, the U.S. Army deployed the LRHW outside the continental U.S. for the first time, with two missile launchers participating in Exercise Talisman Sabre 2025 in Australia. The U.S. is also enhancing its defense against the hypersonic threat, including upgrades to missile defense radar systems, as this type of weapon can maneuver during flight—unlike ballistic missiles, which follow a predictable trajectory—making it difficult to intercept. What To Know "As of mid‑2025, testing continues, with the Master Test Strategy projecting activity through fiscal year 2026," the U.S. Army told Newsweek regarding the status of the LRHW, also known as Dark Eagle. Fiscal year 2026 runs from October 1, 2025, to September 30, 2026. According to the Congressional Research Service report, the LRHW was originally planned to field its first battery in fiscal year 2023. However, the program faced testing delays and cancellations, which ultimately prevented the Army from meeting its deployment goal. The Army also confirmed to Newsweek that it deployed the LRHW to Australia temporarily. The weapon system was assigned to the Hawaii-based Third Multi-Domain Task Force. The United States Army deploys the Long-Range Hypersonic Weapon to Northern Territory, Australia, on July 9. The United States Army deploys the Long-Range Hypersonic Weapon to Northern Territory, Australia, on July 9. Sgt. Perla Alfaro/U.S. Army In a news release on Tuesday, U.S. Army Pacific described the task force as having made a "groundbreaking achievement" during the Australia-hosted war game through the LRHW's deployment, which was integrated into constructive mission threads throughout the exercise. The LRHW's "over-the-horizon, long-range communication" capabilities were validated, and the deployment underscored the Army's ability to project power in the Indo-Pacific theater. "The Dark Eagle is truly ready to go," said Captain Jennifer Lee, the commander of the LRHW unit known as Bravo Battery, adding that the exercise demonstrated the weapon system's capabilities and validated the unit's readiness and ability to defend U.S. allies and partners. What People Are Saying U.S. Army Captain Jennifer Lee, the commander of the LRHW unit known as Bravo Battery, said in a news release on Tuesday: "The employment of the Dark Eagle capability during the exercise underscores our commitment to strengthening alliances and enhancing interoperability with our partners in the Indo-Pacific region." U.S. Navy Admiral Samuel J. Paparo, the commander of the U.S. Indo-Pacific Command, said in a news release on August 2: "The deployment of the LRHW system to Australia marks a significant achievement for U.S. Indo-Pacific Command, as it validates the Army's ability to deploy, position, and exercise command and control (C2) of the system in a forward environment." What Happens Next It remains to be seen whether the U.S. Army will conduct another overseas deployment before the LRHW fields its first operational battery.
Newsweek
04-08-2025
- Science
- Newsweek
US Reaches Major Hypersonic Weapon Milestone
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. The United States reached a historic milestone in the contested development of hypersonic weapons as a new long-range missile system was deployed overseas for the first time. The deployment of the Long-Range Hypersonic Weapon (LRHW) was part of Exercise Talisman Sabre 2025, a multinational war game hosted by Australia in July, during which the U.S. conducted a live-fire drill with its Mid-Range Capability (MRC) missile system. Newsweek has contacted the U.S. Army for further comment via email. Why It Matters A hypersonic weapon is capable of flying at Mach 5 or faster, more than five times the speed of sound. Unlike ballistic missiles, which follow a predictable trajectory, this type of superfast and novel weapon can maneuver during flight, making it difficult to intercept. Both of the U.S.'s major rivals—Russia and China—and regional adversaries such as North Korea and Iran have said they have developed and deployed hypersonic missiles. An expert previously told Newsweek that "nobody wants to drop out" of this arms race. Facing the rapidly growing threat of hypersonic weapons, the U.S. military is enhancing its defense posture, including upgrades to the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense radar for tracking hypersonic missiles and conducting simulated intercept tests. What To Know The U.S. Army Pacific Public Affairs Office said on Saturday that one of its units—the Hawaii-based Third Multi-Domain Task Force (3MDTF)—had deployed a LRHW system outside the continental U.S. for the first time, stationing it in Australia's Northern Territory. The deployment, which seeks to showcase what the Army described as a "game-changing capability," took place as early as July 9 and involved at least two missile launchers at an undisclosed location in the Northern Territory, according to photos released on Saturday. The LRHW, capable of conducting precision strikes at "long range, leveraging hypersonic speeds," demonstrated the 3MDTF's ability to adapt and innovate in response to evolving security challenges during this deployment, the U.S. Army Pacific said in a news release. The missile system—dubbed "Dark Eagle"—has a reported range of 1,725 miles, according to a Congressional Research Service report published in June. Each LRHW unit, known as a battery, is equipped with four launchers capable of accommodating a total of eight missiles. This land-based weapon system serves as a "strategic attack weapon system" designed to defeat anti-access/area denial (A2/AD) capabilities, suppress adversary long-range fires, and engage other high-payoff or time-critical targets, the report further noted, citing the Army. A2/AD capabilities prevent or restrict an enemy from entering and operating within an area. China is regarded as possessing the world's most sophisticated A2/AD network as Beijing warns against foreign interference over Taiwan, which it considers its "breakaway province." The United States Army Third Multi-Domain Task Force deploys the Long-Range Hypersonic Weapon system to Northern Territory, Australia, on July 9 to participate in Exercise Talisman Sabre 2025. The United States Army Third Multi-Domain Task Force deploys the Long-Range Hypersonic Weapon system to Northern Territory, Australia, on July 9 to participate in Exercise Talisman Sabre 2025. Sgt. Perla Alfaro/U.S. Army The LRHW, the 1,000-mile-range MRC, and the 310-mile-plus-range Precision Strike Missile (PrSM) are all part of the U.S. Army's effort to counter A2/AD networks. The PrSM also featured in Exercise Talisman Sabre 2025, where it was fired by the Australian army. What People Are Saying Admiral Samuel J. Paparo, the commander of U.S. Indo-Pacific Command, said in a news release on Saturday: "The deployment of the LRHW system to Australia marks a significant achievement for U.S. Indo-Pacific Command, as it validates the Army's ability to deploy, position, and exercise command and control (C2) of the system in a forward environment." Colonel Wade Germann, the commander of the U.S. Army Third Multi-Domain Task Force, said in a news release on Saturday: "The deployment of the LRHW system to Australia is a major milestone for the Army and demonstrates our ability to rapidly deploy and operate advanced capabilities in support of our allies and partners." What Happens Next It remains to be seen whether the U.S. Army will deploy the LRHW in allied countries near China—such as Japan, South Korea or the Philippines—following the conclusion of the Australia-hosted war game. An MRC has been deployed in the Philippines since April 2024.
Yahoo
02-07-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
US Army tailoring Pacific commands for Multi-Domain force
The U.S. Army in the Pacific has begun working through how it will build two Multi-Domain Commands in the theater to oversee and direct the service's Multi-Domain Task Force units as it continues to expand and refine its presence as part of an overall effort to deter China's increasing aggression in the region, Gen. Ronald Clark, U.S. Army Pacific commander, told Defense News. The new Multi-Domain Commands are coming as part of the Army's new transformation initiative. According to an Army execution order issued in May, the service plans to build four. Indicative of the Army's desire to continue to prioritize building up capability in the Pacific theater, two will be focused there: Multi-Domain Command — Pacific and Multi-Domain Command — Japan. Two others, Multi-Domain Command — Europe and Multi-Domain Command — Army, are taking shape, as well. The Army is working on sizing the force for the commands 'in a way that's different,' Clark said in a Friday interview. With the rise of the MDTF capability in the Pacific, 'the authorities associated with that, in some cases are to the [Indo-Pacific Command] commander and above,' Clark said. 'So, to be able to ensure that we have the authorities associated with the right level of command and the staffs associated with the tasks required to plan, synchronize, train those assets, a two-star level headquarters is where that will reside.' The service's first MDTF was experimental, but since then the Army has operationalized that first unit and will ultimately build four more. The Army established the initial unit at Joint Base Lewis-McChord in Washington state around 2018. U.S. INDOPACOM theater exercises, with MDTF participation, helped inform the Army's Multi-Domain Operations warfighting concept, which has now evolved into doctrine. The Army stood up the second MDTF in Europe in 2021 and the third in Hawaii in 2022. A fourth MDTF will also be devoted to the Pacific, and a fifth, based at Fort Bragg, North Carolina, will be able to deploy rapidly as needed. All five MDTFs will be established by 2028. The units are designed to operate across all domains — land, air, sea, space and cyberspace — are equipped with the Army's growing capabilities, such as the Precision Strike Missile, the Long-Range Hypersonic Weapon and the Mid-Range Capability Missile. MDTFs will also have units devoted to the critical sourcing of intelligence across domains and spectrums and information sharing with the joint force to enable targeting. The MDTF units' presence in the Pacific in recent years have been credited with effective deterrence. For instance, the MRC resident with the 1st MDTF has drawn the ire of China since being deployed to the Philippines as part of the last two cycles of U.S. Army exercises with the country. Recent assessments through exercises and warfighter experimentation have shown the need to operationalize such commands and create a higher level of command authority for the MDTFs, according to Clark. The new commands are 'additive to what we currently have in the Indo Pacific and in U.S. Army Pacific, so with that comes additional tasks and funding,' Clark said. The Army's fiscal 2026 budget request reflects some additional funding in order to execute the establishment of the commands. The 1st and 3rd MDTF will fall under the Multi-Domain Command — Pacific, and the 4th MDTF will be associated with Multi-Domain Command — Japan. According to the Army's execution order for the transformation initiative, the Pacific command combines the 7th Infantry Division headquarters with the 1st and 3rd MDTFs. The command in Japan combines U.S. Army Japan's headquarters with the 4th MDTF. 'The Multi-Domain Task Force is a theater-level capability,' Clark said. 'It has inherent capabilities ... cyber, space, electronic warfare, long-range precisions first, it's ability to be able to conduct integrated air and missile defense in its own defense and in a point defense kind of way, those capabilities ... go beyond an area of joint area of operations.' MDTFs are commanded by colonels,'which is great,' Clark said, but adding they will now plug into a two-star command structure that can report to U.S. Army Pacific, for example. 'We need to up-gun the level of staff and command,' he said.
Yahoo
30-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Behemoth Golden Dome may face lackluster scrutiny in Trump's Pentagon
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth's decision this week to cut more than half of the Pentagon's test and evaluation office personnel was driven, in part, by concerns over the office's plans to provide testing oversight for the Trump administration's $175 billion Golden Dome missile defense project, multiple sources told Defense News. In a memo released Wednesday, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth announced plans to restructure the Office of the Director of Operational Test and Evaluation, known as DOT&E, and reduce its 94-person staff to 46 — a mix of civilians, military personnel and one senior executive. The memo also put an end to all contractor support to the office. The decision sparked concerns from some congressional Democrats, including Senate Armed Services Committee Ranking Member Jack Reed, D-RI, who called the move 'reckless and damaging.' 'With staffing reduced to a skeleton crew and limited contractor backing, DOT&E may be unable to provide adequate oversight for critical military programs, risking operational readiness and taxpayer dollars,' Reed said in a statement. 'This kind of politically motivated interference undermines independent oversight and leaves warfighters and the public more vulnerable to untested, potentially flawed systems.' Hegseth said the reorganization is tied to the Pentagon's 'America First' strategy and was backed by an internal review that identified 'redundant, non-statutory functions' within the office. The analysis, he said, found that reducing personnel could save more than $300 million per year. But multiple sources familiar with the decision and granted anonymity to speak freely told Defense News the circumstances are more complicated than the scenario the secretary described in his memo. They pointed to perennial tensions between the military services and the office, stoked in recent months by an atmosphere of touting quick, programmatic successes that is antithetical to the exacting mission of verifying performance claims over time and under varying conditions. The sources also cited senior leadership's frustration with DOT&E's recent decision to add Golden Dome to its 'oversight list' as being the final provocation. 'It's a perfect storm,' one source said. The DOT&E office was created by Congress to provide independent oversight of major defense acquisition programs. Its leaders are required by law to approve testing plans and report results for all Defense Department programs whose total research and development cost exceeds $525 million —in 2020 dollars — or whose procurement is expected to cost more than $3 billion. The list of efforts under DOT&E oversight currently features over 250 programs, including the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter, the Army's Long-Range Hypersonic Weapon and the Navy's Aegis modernization program. The office's role as an overseer means its recommendations are sometimes unpopular with military service leaders and major defense contractors alike. But the aim of its rigorous, and often arduous, validation is to prevent the department from fielding faulty systems that could put service members in harm's way. Golden Dome's cost — estimated at $175 billion over the next three years — and its complexity make it a clear candidate for DOT&E oversight, the sources said. The process for initiating DOT&E oversight of a program is fairly straightforward, but when DOT&E's Acting Director Raymond O'Toole notified senior leaders in a recent memo that he planned to add Golden Dome to the list, the decision drew an unusual level of scrutiny. Officials worried the office's involvement would slow the program down and drive up its cost. They eventually elevated their concerns to the White House. That extra attention appears linked to President Donald Trump's interest in the program, one source said, noting the office was told the program 'needed to be successful for Mr. Trump.' Golden Dome became the president's signature defense project early in his second term. In a Jan. 27 memo, he directed the Pentagon to draft a plan for a layered network of ground-and space-based interceptors and sensors to detect, track and defeat a range of missile threats. Initially calling the project 'Iron Dome for America' after Israel's missile defense system of the same name, Trump rebranded it to 'Golden Dome' — a nod to his vision for a 'golden age in America' and perhaps his own penchant for the precious metal. In an Oval Office meeting last week, flanked by Hegseth and a top Space Force general — as well as multiple images depicting a map of the U.S. covered in gold — Trump said the Pentagon would deliver 'the best system ever built' before the end of his term. While there is wide agreement among defense officials and outside experts that the U.S. needs a more focused investment in its missile defense architecture, Trump's schedule and cost projections have raised eyebrows. With actual details on the project still slim, some have questioned whether Golden Dome's biggest technological lifts are feasible and worth the long-term cost. 'I don't think we should read much into the $175 billion figure because no details or caveats were provided,' said Todd Harrison, an analyst at the American Enterprise Institute. 'I want to see something on paper that shows what's included, what's not included, and the time frame of the estimate.' This week's DOT&E cuts likely mean the office will be under-resourced to oversee all of the Defense Department's major programs, let alone Golden Dome. One source familiar with the office speculated the 'drastically reduced' staff could allow the Pentagon to get away with slimming down the office's oversight list. Reduced testing oversight could allow Golden Dome to move faster, but sources said it would be concerning for a program with such high-stakes ambitions to escape scrutiny. 'It would be hundreds of warheads coming in with all kinds of countermeasures, cyber attacks,' another source said. 'That's usually beyond the scope of a program and a service test office to be able to orchestrate all that.'
