link to page 1 
December 8, 2021
The U.S. Army’s Long Range Hypersonic Weapon (LRHW)
What Is the Army’s Long-Range
Hypersonic Weapon?
LRHW Components
The Army’s Long-Range Hypersonic Weapon (LRHW)
Missile
(Figure 1), with a reported range of 1,725 miles, consists of
The missile component of the LRHW is reportedly being
a ground-launched missile equipped with a hypersonic glide
developed by Lockheed Martin and Northrop Grumman.
body and associated transport, support, and fire control
When the hypersonic glide body is attached, it is referred to
equipment. According to the Army:
as the Navy-Army All Up Round plus Canister (AUR+C).
This land-based, truck-launched system is armed
The missile component is to serve as the common two-stage
with hypersonic missiles that can travel well over
booster for the Army’s LRHW and the Navy’s
3,800 miles per hour. They can reach the top of the
Conventional Prompt Strike (CPS) system, which is
Earth’s atmosphere and remain just beyond the
intended to be fired from both surface vessels and
range of air and missile defense systems until they
submarines.
are ready to strike, and by then it’s too late to react.
Extremely accurate, ultrafast, maneuverable and
What Is Anti-Access/Area Denial (A2/AD)?
survivable, hypersonics can strike anywhere in the
A Department of Defense (DOD) term used to describe
world within minutes. For the battery, the task force
“Chinese and Russian approaches that seek to prevent U.S.
and the U.S. Army, they provide a critical strategic
forces from gaining or using access to overseas bases or
weapon and a powerful deterrent against adversary
critical locations, such as ports and airfields, while denying U.S.
capabilities.
forces the ability to maneuver within striking distance of their
Figure 1. Artist Rendition of a Notional LRHW Unit
territory. Col ectively, these actions could significantly
constrain U.S. military interventions or raise their costs.”
Source: Chris Dougherty, “Moving Beyond A2/AD,” Center for
a New American Security, December 3, 2020.
Common Hypersonic Glide Body (C-HGB)
The C-HGB is reportedly based on the Alternate Re-Entry
System previously developed by the Sandia National
Laboratories and the U.S. Army. Dynetics, a subsidiary of
Leidos, is currently under contract to produce C-HGB
prototypes for the Army, Navy, and the Missile Defense
Agency. The C-HGB “uses a booster rocket motor to
accelerate to well-above hypersonic speeds, and then
jettisons the expended rocket booster.” According to
Source: https://www.popularmechanics.com/military/weapons/
Dynetics, the C-HGB is to be maneuverable, making it
a36421213/army-hypersonic-weapon-1700-mile-range/, accessed
more difficult to detect and intercept and “can travel at
November 18, 2021.
Mach 5 or higher ... at least five times faster than the speed
of sound or up to 13,000 miles per hour.” The C-HGB is
The Army further notes:
intended to be able to destroy targets by virtue of its
The Long Range Hypersonic Weapon (LRHW)
velocity alone.
system will provide the Army a prototype strategic
LRHW Organization and Units
attack weapon system to defeat Anti-Access/Area
Denial (A2/AD) capabilities, suppress adversary
The LRHW is to be organized into batteries—a designation
long range fires, and engage other high payoff/time
given to company-sized units of field and air defense
artillery. Initially, each battery reportedly is to have four
critical targets. The Army is working closely with
launchers, each with two missiles, a mobile battery
the Navy in the development of the LRHW. LRHW
operations center, and a number of support vehicles such as
is common with the Common Hypersonic Glide
the Army’s currently deployed Heavy Expanded Mobility
Body (C-HGB), and the Navy 34.5 inch booster.
Tactical Truck (HEMTT) to transport the LRHWs.
Additionally, the LRHW is to use an existing
command and control (C2) network, the Advanced
Reportedly, the 5th Battalion, 3rd Field Artillery Regiment at
Field Artillery Tactical Data System (AFATDS).
Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Washington, is to operate the
first battery of eight LRHW missiles. The battalion, also
https://crsreports.congress.gov
The U.S. Army’s Long Range Hypersonic Weapon (LRHW)
referred to as a Strategic Long Range Fires battalion, is part
To better understand future costs and inform future
of the Army’s 1st Multi Domain Task Force (MDTF), a unit
decisions, the committee directs the Army to refine
in the Pacific-oriented I Corps also stationed at Joint Base
the cost estimate for additional currently-designed
Lewis-McChord. Other LRHW batteries are planned for
hypersonic glide body missiles that are to be
Strategic Long Range Fires battalions in each of the four
acquired. Additionally, the committee directs the
remaining MDTFs scheduled for activation. It is not known
Army to assess alternatives to the current LRHW
if the Army plans to stand up more than the five LRHW
missile, to include lower-cost alternative glide
batteries assigned to MDTFs or if any LRHW units will be
bodies and air-breathing hypersonic technologies
assigned to the Army National Guard.
and to provide a briefing on the assessment to the
LRHW Testing Activities
Senate Armed Services Committee not later than
January 15, 2022.
Reportedly, on October 20, 2021, the Army and Navy
conducted three successful tests of “hypersonic weapon
Given congressional interest in LRHW costs, it is possible
component prototypes.” During a separate test that same
that less costly versions could be developed in the future.
day, a booster rocket carrying a hypersonic glide vehicle
reportedly failed a test flight. The Army plans three flight
LRHW Flight Testing
tests of the C-HGB before the first battery is fielded in
While LRHW booster and warhead technologies are not
FY2023, with the first flight test planned for first quarter
new and have been tested in various configurations over the
FY2022, the second in fourth quarter FY2022, and the third
preceding years, it can be argued that the three planned
in the second quarter FY2023.
flight tests of the LRHW might not be sufficient to fully
validate the missile’s performance. Congress might
FY2022 Budgetary Information
examine the Army’s test and evaluation plan for the
LRHW, especially given its initial high cost and central role
Table 1. FY2022 LRHW Budget Request
in future Army plans.
Total Request
LRHW Overseas Basing
Funding Category
($M)
On March 30, 2021, the Chief of Staff of the Army
discussing the LRHW reportedly noted, “The politics of
RDT&E
$300
where they're based, how they're based, will be up to the
Source: Department of Defense Fiscal Year 2022 Budget Estimates,
policymakers and the diplomats.” Given the 1,725 mile
Army Justification Book 2a of 2, RDT&E, Volume II, Budget Activity 4,
range limitation of the LRHW, the inability to secure
May 2021, p. 639.
overseas basing rights for these units could limit or negate
their effectiveness. On December 1, 2021, the Secretary of
Notes: RDT&E = Research, Development, Test & Evaluation: $M =
the Army reportedly suggested the LRHW “will likely be
U.S. Dollars in Mil ions;
fielded in the United States, rather than in allied countries
near China” and “the Army is ready, when called upon, to
Table 2. FY2022 LRHW Defense Authorizations and
be able to put those kinds of capabilities in the region. But
Appropriations
it’s really [the State and Defense departments] that will take
Funding
Authorized
Appropriated
the lead in those discussions.” Given the importance of
Category
($M)
($M)
LRHW basing, Congress might examine ongoing Army
efforts to secure LRHW basing in both Europe and the
RDT&E
$300.9
$300.9 (H.R. 4432)
Pacific region.
(S. 1605)
$310.4 (S. 3023)
Sources: Rules Committee Print 117-21, Text of House Amendment
Additional Resources
to S. 1605, p. 1826; H.Rept. 117-88 to accompany H.R. 4432, p. 241;
CRS Report R45811, Hypersonic Weapons: Background and
Explanatory Statement to accompany Senate Appropriations
Issues for Congress, by Kelley M. Sayler.
Committee-released Department of Defense Appropriations Act,
2022, p. 157.
CRS Report R46721, U.S. Army Long-Range Precision Fires:
Background and Issues for Congress, by Andrew Feickert.
Potential Issues for Congress
CRS In Focus IF11797, The Army’s Multi-Domain Task Force
(MDTF), by Andrew Feickert.
LRHW Costs
An article suggests the Army’s LRHW missile could cost
$106 million per missile and the program could add as
much as $7 billion to the Army’s budget over the next few
Andrew Feickert, Specialist in Military Ground Forces
years. The Senate Armed Services Committee suggested:
IF11991
https://crsreports.congress.gov
The U.S. Army’s Long Range Hypersonic Weapon (LRHW)
Disclaimer
This document was prepared by the Congressional Research Service (CRS). CRS serves as nonpartisan shared staff to
congressional committees and Members of Congress. It operates solely at the behest of and under the direction of Congress.
Information in a CRS Report should not be relied upon for purposes other than public understanding of information that has
been provided by CRS to Members of Congress in connection with CRS’s institutional role. CRS Reports, as a work of the
United States Government, are not subject to copyright protection in the United States. Any CRS Report may be
reproduced and distributed in its entirety without permission from CRS. However, as a CRS Report may include
copyrighted images or material from a third party, you may need to obtain the permission of the copyright holder if you
wish to copy or otherwise use copyrighted material.
https://crsreports.congress.gov | IF11991 · VERSION 1 · NEW