Almost a year after announcing it would end the development of the hypersonic AGM-183A Air-launched Rapid Response Weapon (ARRW), the United States Air Force has told the Warzone that the weapon is “currently in the operational test phase of development” and that a “production decision has not yet been made.”
This comes as photos were recently released showing a live (yellow band) ARRW loaded onto a B-52H bomber at Andersen Air Force Base in Guam during “Hypersonic Weapon Familiarization Training” by the 23rd Expeditionary Bomb Squadron and 49th Test and Evaluation Squadron.
The program had previously been plagued with testing and financing issues, resulting in the Air Force deciding that “completing the all-up round test flights to garner the learning and test data that will help inform future hypersonic programs.” However, this latest announcement signals that the ARRW program might not be dead afterall.
