Report to Congress on U.S. Army Dark Eagle Hypersonic Weapon
U.S. Naval Institute Staff
June 13, 2025 8:52 AM
The following is the June 12, 2025 Congressional Research Service report, U.S. Army’s Long-Range Hypersonic Weapon (LRHW): Dark Eagle.
From the report
What Is the Army’s Long-Range Hypersonic Weapon?
The Army’s Long-Range Hypersonic Weapon (LRHW), also known as Dark Eagle, with a reported range of 1,725 miles, consists of a ground-launched missile equipped with a hypersonic glide body and associated transport, support, and fire control equipment.
The Army further notes,
The LRHW system provides the Army a strategic attack weapon system to defeat Anti-Access/Area Denial (A2/AD) capabilities, suppress adversary long-range fires, and engage other high payoff/time critical targets. The Army is working closely with the Navy in the development of the LRHW. LRHW is comprised of the Common Hypersonic Glide Body (C-HGB), and the Navy 34.5-inch booster.
On April 24, 2025, the Army formally designated the LRHW as the Dark Eagle.
LRHW Components
Missile
The missile component of the LRHW is reportedly being developed by Lockheed Martin and Northrop Grumman. When the hypersonic glide body is attached, it is referred to as the Navy-Army All Up Round plus Canister (AUR+C). The missile component serves as the common two-stage booster for the Army’s LRHW and the Navy’s Conventional Prompt Strike (CPS) system, which can be fired from both surface vessels and submarines.
Common Hypersonic Glide Body (C-HGB)
The C-HGB is reportedly based on the Alternate Re-Entry System developed by the Army and Sandia National Laboratories. Dynetics, a subsidiary of Leidos, is currently under contract to produce C-HGB prototypes for the Army and Navy. The C-HGB uses a booster rocket motor to accelerate to well above hypersonic speeds and then jettisons the expended rocket booster. The C-HGB, which can travel at Mach 5 or higher on its own, is planned to be maneuverable, potentially making it more difficult to detect and intercept.
https://news.usni.org/2025/06/13/report-to-congress-on-u-s-army-dark-eagle-hypersonic-weapon
