The United States appears to have taken an important step to catch up with Russia and China in the arms race for hypersonic weapons.

The US Air Force announced on Monday the first successful airborne test of an AGM-183-A ARRW (Air-Launched Rapid Response Weapon) weapon.

In expert circles, it is considered the answer to the Russian Ch-47M2 Kinzhal, which Moscow first used in the invasion of Ukraine to hit tactical targets at a great distance.

Lorenz Hemicker

Editor in Politics

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According to the US Air Force, a B52-H long-range bomber launched the ARRW over the US West Coast in southern California on Saturday.

After separation, the rocket motor ignited, burned for the expected duration, and accelerated the ARRW to more than five times the speed of sound.

In its press release, the Air Force itself rated the test as a "great achievement", saying that it had "made history" and would do everything possible to make the "groundbreaking weapon" available for combat use as quickly as possible.

The German rocket researcher Markus Schiller assumes that the ARRW will go to the US armed forces from 2023.

"This weapon is obviously aimed at Russia and China," Schiller said, "and the Americans are working flat out on it."

In contrast to the Kinschal, the ARRW is not intended to be optionally armed with nuclear weapons.

The weapon can be used to precisely eliminate high-value targets such as command posts, ammunition depots or communication facilities deep in enemy space or to support troops at the front from afar.

Due to its high speed, which according to expert estimates could reach twenty times the speed of sound, it is currently difficult to intercept even for highly developed anti-aircraft missile systems, which Russia in particular has at its disposal.

A number of countries are currently working on developing their own hypersonic weapon systems, above all the United States and China.

NATO also lists research in Britain, France, Germany, Australia and India in a 2020 paper.

Part of it is also about the defense against hypersonic weapons.

Not all systems are developing as quickly as the ARRW.

In March, the United States tested a new long-range air-to-ground missile called the Hypersonic Air-breathing Weapon Concept (HAWC).

According to Markus Schiller, it will be years before it becomes operational.