AGM‑183 ARRW: US Air Force's hypersonic missile project resurrected amid global arms race

Since 2018, the US has been developing the ARRW program, which faced a setback after an unsuccessful weapons test on March 12, 2023. Less than a year later, an image emerged showing the AGM-183 suspended beneath the wing of a B-52H bomber, suggesting the project is still active.

This implies that despite the ARRW project's supposed cancellation, aimed at delivering a cutting-edge hypersonic missile, the USA continues to refine modern weaponry, challenging Russia, whose arsenal includes the Ch-47M2 Kinzhal missile, capable of reaching speeds of nearly Mach 10. The AGM-183 is rumoured to be twice as fast.

– The AGM-183 ARRW is now in the operational testing phase. The Air Force has completed three out of the four scheduled test flights. A decision on whether to proceed to production has not yet been made – a US Air Force spokesperson told The War Zone, as reported by Ukrainian Front.

Let's recap that the AGM-183 ARRW is a hypersonic air-to-ground long-range cruise missile from the US. Its development began in 2018 when Lockheed Martin was contracted to create a new weaponry type for the US Air Force. Despite the fast-paced development, in March 2023, US Air Force Secretary Frank Kendal declared the program’s last test a failure. The decision was made to halt the ARRW's development.

Yet, evidence soon emerged that work on the AGM-183 had resumed, as shown by photos of the weapon on an American bomber capable of carrying such munitions. While still in the testing phase, its precise capabilities are under wraps.

It is, however, acknowledged that the AGM-183 can quickly achieve speeds of Mach 8. Reports suggest that the American missile might attain speeds up to Mach 20 at high altitudes (nearly 20 times the speed of sound). The AGM-183 ARRW missile comprises two parts: the rocket engine, which accelerates the missile to Mach 5 and launches it into orbit, and the glider warhead, which can reach speeds up to Mach 20.

The nearly 23-foot-long missile can be deployed by B-52 Stratofortress bombers or B-1B Lancers (following suitable upgrades). Each missile weighs about 3 tons (approximately 2.7 tonnes).