Air Force Assistant Secretary for Acquisition, Technology and Logistics Will Roper said Washington plans to begin producing hypersonic missiles in 2021 or 2022
The US Air Force (AF) plans to begin production of hypersonic missiles under the ARRW (Air-Launched Rapid Response Weapon, an acronym pronounced arrow) programme in 2021 or 2022. This was confirmed on Friday at a briefing for a small group of journalists, which included a TASS reporter, by Will Roper, assistant secretary of the US Air Force for procurement, technology and logistics.
“We are very close to putting the ARRW, the [Air Force] Department’s first hypersonic weapon, into production. This will happen in fiscal year 2022 (starting in the US on October 1, 2021 – TASS note). To place [these weapons] on [strategic bombers] B-52s. This will provide us with a rapid strike capability beyond the reach of the weapons. <…> I think it creates a good dilemma for the [potential] enemy,” the official said.
“Direct-flow air-jet technology and cruise missiles,” Roper is convinced, “will allow us to create hypersonic weapons that are cheaper and smaller than [some of their counterparts]. “[Such weapons will be] small enough to be placed on our fighters,” the Air Force assistant secretary said. In this regard, he clarified that he was referring primarily to F-15 fighters. “[The hypersonic] ramjet programme is being implemented faster than we expected,” Roper assured.