Pentagon Test Office Needs More Data On New Hypersonic Missile

(Bloomberg) — The Pentagon’s testing office says it won’t have enough data to assess the combat effectiveness of the United States’ first hypersonic missile until early next year; This is another troubling sign that the United States is trying to catch up with China and Russia in deploying the weapon.

According to the Director of Operational Test and Evaluation, testing conducted to date on the Army’s Black Eagle has not produced sufficient data to determine its “operational effectiveness, suitability, and survivability.” The office also found that the device’s ability to withstand a cyberattack was unknown.

The testing office estimates that it will obtain sufficient data after operational testing is completed in March 2027. In January, the Army said it planned to field the weapon this year.

The results are part of the office’s annual report, which is scheduled to be published in the coming days. Insufficient data is another concern regarding the development of a weapon originally estimated to be ready in September 2023. Lockheed Martin Corp. and a unit of Leidos Holdings Inc. are the prime contractors for the program, which is estimated to cost more than $10.4 billion.

China and Russia are far ahead of the United States in the development of hypersonic missiles, which are capable of flying at more than five times the speed of sound and are much more difficult to intercept than slower missiles. Russia has reported using hypersonic missiles as part of its invasion of Ukraine.

An Army spokesman said in a statement that the service “cannot comment until a report is finalized and made public.” The military announced a “significant advance in its military capabilities” when it activated the battery that operates the missile on December 17. There was no mention that the missiles were not ready at that time.

The Army has repeatedly failed to demonstrate the success of the Dark Eagle system in real-world testing. Tests in 2023 and 2024 were marred by launcher, launch sequence and missile manufacturing quality issues, according to the Government Accountability Office.

The annual report includes a letter from Army Secretary Dan Driscoll commenting on its findings. The letter did not address the hypersonic program, but did say that the Army is “committed to accelerating the delivery of effective capabilities to our soldiers, a goal that requires the active cooperation of your office.”

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