The U.S. Air Force, in partnership with Australia, has conducted a flight test of the Hypersonic Attack Cruise Missile (HACM), with the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) executing the release of a test unit over a designated Australian test range. The Air Force confirmed the test to The War Zone, but did not name the range or specify the date of the release.
“The U.S. Air Force, in partnership with Australia, has conducted a flight test of the Hypersonic Attack Cruise Missile (HACM) as part of our continuous work to advance long-range strike capabilities,” an Air Force spokesperson said. “This effort is part of the Southern Cross Integrated Flight Research Experiment (SCIFiRE), a collaborative agreement built on more than 15 years of partnership between our two nations.”
“Leveraging this enduring alliance, the Royal Australian Air Force executed the release of a HACM flight test unit over a designated Australian test range, gathering crucial data to advance the program’s objectives,” the spokesperson added. “The flight was the culmination of an extensive series of tests designed to measure the missile’s performance under realistic flight conditions.”
It is not known whether the missile flew under its own power after release, or which aircraft carried it aloft. The Air Force has previously stated that it planned to conduct HACM launches in Australia, and the Government Accountability Office (GAO) has reported that RAAF F/A-18F Super Hornets would conduct at least some HACM test launches. The Air Force’s initial launch platform is the F-15E Strike Eagle, though others are expected to follow.
HACM is a two-stage, scramjet-powered missile, consisting of a rocket booster and a scramjet cruiser that separates from the booster and dives toward its target, according to the GAO. Hypersonic speed is generally defined as anything above Mach 5, but HACM’s peak speed is unknown.
Raytheon (now formally RTX), in cooperation with Northrop Grumman, was chosen to develop the missile in 2022. The weapon has reportedly been designated AHM-4A. The program has suffered significant delays; the original goal had been to begin flight testing in 2024. The Air Force has scaled back overall testing plans to try to keep the program on schedule, with the stated goal of being able to make a decision to start rapidly acquiring HACMs in 2027.
Sources: DVIDS News · Naval News