The U.S. Defense Department has successfully conducted the first test flight of the Advanced Hypersonic Weapon (AHW) concept vehicle. The test was conducted by Army Space and Missile Defense Command/Army Forces Strategic Command at 6:30 a.m. Eastern Standard Time. A first-of-its-kind glide vehicle, designed to fly within the earth’s atmosphere at hypersonic speed and long range, was launched from the Pacific Missile Range Facility, Kauai, Hawaii to the Reagan Test Site, U.S. Army Kwajalein Atoll, according to the Pentagon. A three-stage booster system launched the glide vehicle and successfully deployed it on the desired flight trajectory.
The U.S. Department of Defense is using AHW to develop and demonstrate technologies for Conventional Prompt Global Strike. As part of the effort, the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency unsuccessfully conducted boost-glide flight tests in April 2010 and August 2011, results from which were used in planning the AHW flight test.