link to page 1 
Updated March 31, 2023
The U.S. Army’s Long-Range Hypersonic Weapon (LRHW)
What Is the Army’s Long-Range
intended to be fired from both surface vessels and
Hypersonic Weapon?
submarines.
The Army’s Long-Range Hypersonic Weapon (LRHW)
(Figure 1), with a reported range of 1,725 miles, consists of
Common Hypersonic Glide Body (C-HGB)
a ground-launched missile equipped with a hypersonic glide
The C-HGB is reportedly based on the Alternate Re-Entry
body and associated transport, support, and fire control
System developed by the Army and Sandia National
equipment. According to the Army:
Laboratories. Dynetics, a subsidiary of Leidos, is currently
under contract to produce C-HGB prototypes for the Army
This land-based, truck-launched system is armed
and Navy. The C-HGB “uses a booster rocket motor to
with hypersonic missiles that can travel well over
accelerate to well-above hypersonic speeds, and then
3,800 miles per hour. They can reach the top of the
jettisons the expended rocket booster.” The C-HGB is
Earth’s atmosphere and remain just beyond the
planned to be maneuverable, making it more difficult to
range of air and missile defense systems until they
detect and intercept and “can travel at Mach 5 or higher ...
are ready to strike, and by then it’s too late to react.
at least five times faster than the speed of sound or up to
13,000 miles per hour.”
Figure 1. Artist Rendition of a Notional LRHW Unit
LRHW Organization and Units
The LRHW is organized into batteries. According to the
Army “a LRHW battery consists of four Transporter
Erector Launchers on modified M870A4 trailers, each
equipped with two AUR+C (eight in total), one Battery
Operations Center (BOC) for command and control and a
BOC support vehicle.”
Reportedly, the 5th Battalion, 3rd Field Artillery Regiment at
Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Washington, is to operate the
first battery of eight LRHW missiles. The battalion, also
referred to as a Strategic Long-Range Fires battalion, is part
of the Army’s 1st Multi Domain Task Force (MDTF), a unit
Source: https://www.popularmechanics.com/military/weapons/
in the Pacific-oriented I Corps also stationed at Joint Base
a36421213/army-hypersonic-weapon-1700-mile-range/, accessed
Lewis-McChord. Other LRHW batteries are planned for
November 18, 2021.
Strategic Long-Range Fires battalions in the remaining
MDTFs scheduled for activation.
The Army further notes:
The LRHW system provides the Army a strategic
LRHW Testing and Program Activities
attack weapon system to defeat Anti-Access/Area
According to a 2023 Congressional Budget Office (CBO)
Denial (A2/AD) capabilities, suppress adversary
Study, “U.S. Hypersonic Weapons and Alternatives,”
long-range fires, and engage other high payoff/time
“Extensive flight testing is necessary to shield hypersonic
critical targets. The Army is working closely with
missiles’ sensitive electronics, understand how various
the Navy in the development of the LRHW. LRHW
materials perform, and predict aerodynamics at sustained
temperatures as high as 3,000° Fahrenheit.”
is comprised of the Common Hypersonic Glide
Body (C-HGB), and the Navy 34.5 inch booster.
The Army had planned for three flight tests of the LRHW
LRHW Components
before the first battery fielding in FY2023. On October 21,
2021, the booster rocket carrying the C-HGB vehicle
Missile
reportedly failed a test flight resulting in what defense
officials characterized as a “no test” because the C-HGB
The missile component of the LRHW is reportedly being
had no chance to deploy. Reportedly, a June 2022 test of
developed by Lockheed Martin and Northrop Grumman.
the entire LRHW missile also resulted in failure.
When the hypersonic glide body is attached, it is referred to
as the Navy-Army All Up Round plus Canister (AUR+C).
Flight Test Delays
The missile component serves as the common two-stage
booster for the Army’s LRHW and the Navy’s
In October 2022, it was reported the Department of Defense
(DOD) delayed a scheduled LRHW test in order to “assess
Conventional Prompt Strike (CPS) system, which is
the root cause of the June [2022] failure.” Reportedly, the
https://crsreports.congress.gov
The U.S. Army’s Long-Range Hypersonic Weapon (LRHW)
delayed test would be rescheduled to the first quarter of
RDT&E—Department of Defense Fiscal Year 2024 Budget
FY2023.
Estimates, Army Justification Book 2b of 2, RDT&E, Volume II, Budget
Activity 4B, March 2023, p. 257 and Department of Defense Fiscal
March 2023 LRHW Test Scrubbed and
Year 2024 Budget Estimates, Army Justification Book 3d of 3,
Possible Delay in FY 2023 Fielding
RDT&E, Volume II, Budget Activity 5D, March 2023, p. 179.
According to a March 10, 2023 Inside Defense article,
“
Procurement—Department of Defense Fiscal Year 2024 Budget
DOD Scrubs Key Hypersonic Weapons Test, Adding Risk
Estimates, Army Justification Book of Missile Procurement, March
to Army FY-23 Fielding Plans”
2023, p. 80.
On March 5, the Defense Department was preparing
Notes: RDT&E = Research, Development, Test & Evaluation; $M =
to execute Joint Flight Campaign-2 featuring the
U.S. dollars in mil ions.
Army version of the prototype weapon launched at
Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, FL, when the
Considerations for Congress
countdown was halted ... As a result of pre-flight
Oversight questions Congress could consider include the
checks during that event, the test did not occur.
following:
The article further suggests “The test is at least six months
LRHW Testing and Planned FY 2023 Fielding
behind schedule, consuming precious little margin in an
As previously discussed, the Army has experienced a
effort to field a first prototype Army unit by the end of this
number of test delays and “no-tests” since 2021. In
year.” It is not known if or when the March 5, 2023 LRHW
addition, the DOD Inspector General has undertaken an
test might be rescheduled or if DOD or the Army will
evaluation “to determine whether the Army Long Range
schedule additional LRHW flight tests as part of Joint
Hypersonic Weapon and the Navy Conventional Prompt
Flight Campaign-2.
Strike Program Offices are meeting their weapons systems
DOD Inspector General Evaluation of
development and fielding timelines and milestones.”
LRHW and Navy Conventional Prompt
Despite these events, the Army seemingly remains publicly
Strike
committed to fielding its first operational prototype LRHW
battery by the end of FY 2023. If the LRHW testing
On August 8, 2022, the DOD Inspector General (IG)
program is “at least six months behind schedule” as has
informed the Army and Navy that it would initiate an
been suggested, policymakers could examine if the Army’s
evaluation “to determine whether the Army Long Range
2023 LRHW fielding plans are realistic and if additional
Hypersonic Weapon and the Navy Conventional Prompt
testing to account for “no-test” events and past test failures
Strike Program Offices are meeting their weapons systems
might be warranted.
development and fielding timelines and milestones.” It is
not known when the DOD IG evaluation will be completed
LRHW Missile Costs
and available for congressional review.
According to a January 2023 Congressional Budget Office
LRHW Ground Support Equipment
Study (CBO) study, “U.S. Hypersonic Weapons and
Procurement
Alternatives,” purchasing 300 Intermediate-Range
Hypersonic Boost-Glide Missiles (Similar to LRHW/IR-
In October 2022, the Army reportedly announced it would
CPS) was estimated to cost $41 million per missile (in 2023
transition from an Other Transaction Agreement (OTA)
dollars).
acquisition strategy to a traditional Federal Acquisition
Regulation (FAR) acquisition strategy for LRHW ground
A January 2023 Center for Strategic and International
support equipment (LRHW Transporter Erector Launcher
Studies (CSIS) report, “The First Battle of the Next War:
[TEL] and Battery Operations Center). By adopting a FAR
Wargaming a Chinese Invasion of Taiwan,” when
acquisition strategy, the Army hopes to attract multiple
discussing hypersonic weapons, suggests
bidders for LRHW ground support equipment. Reportedly,
the Army plans to field a prototype LRHW battery in
Their high costs limits inventories, so they lack the
FY2023 and transition to a formal Program of Record and
volume needed to counter the immense numbers of
field the second and third batteries in FY2025 and FY2027.
Chinese air and naval platforms (p. 5).
There are also plans for technology insertions intended to
upgrade the C-HGB in FY2026 and FY2027.
Given concerns about LRHW costs and how costs could
influence LRHW inventories, policymakers might decide to
FY2024 LRHW Budgetary Information
further examine LRHW missile costs as well as quantities
of LRHW missiles needed to support potential combat
Table 1. FY2024 LRHW Budget Request
operations in various theaters where LRHW units could be
employed.
Total Request
Funding Category
($M)
RDT&E
$944.355
Andrew Feickert, Specialist in Military Ground Forces
Procurement
$156.821
IF11991
Sources:
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 7 · UPDATED