Engineering:Hypersonic Air-breathing Weapon Concept
| Hypersonic Air-breathing Weapon Concept (HAWC) | |
|---|---|
 HAWC Missile Concept Drawing | |
| Type | Hypersonic air-launched cruise missile |
| Place of origin | United States |
| Service history | |
| In service | In development |
| Used by | United States |
| Production history | |
| Designer | DARPA |
| Specifications | |
| Warhead | None (uses its own kinetic energy upon impact to destroy the target, see Kinetic energy weapon) |
| Engine | Scramjet |
Operational range | >300 nmi (350 mi; 560 km) |
| Flight altitude | >60,000 ft (11 mi; 18 km) |
| Speed | >Mach 5 (3,806 mph; 6,125 km/h) |
Launch platform | B-52 Stratofortress |
The Hypersonic Air-breathing Weapon Concept (HAWC, pronounced "hawk") is a scramjet powered hypersonic air-launched cruise missile project at the U.S. Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA),[1] that had a successful hypersonic flight announced in September 2021.[2][3] It is a kinetic energy weapon, without an explosive warhead.[4]
The scramjet propelled the missile at "a speed greater than Mach 5" (about 3,300 miles per hour).[2]
The first successful flight was in September 2021.[5] Further testing was carried out in mid-March 2022, but was kept secret at the time to avoid the impression of escalation against Russia during the Russian invasion of Ukraine.[4] The existence of the test was revealed in early April 2022.[4]
Principal Director for Hypersonics Mike White stated that HAWC would be smaller than hypersonic glide vehicles and could therefore launch from a wider range of platforms. White additionally noted that HAWC could integrate seekers more easily. DARPA requested $60 million for MoHAWC, the successor program to HAWC, in FY2023.[6]
On 18 July 2022, the third successful flight test of the HAWC was done by DARPA - the missile was able to fly at (3,300 mph; 5,300 km/h) speed at the altitude of more than 60,000 ft (11 mi; 18 km) for more than 300 nautical miles (350 mi; 560 km).[7]
On 30 January 2023, the final successful flight test of the HAWC was reported by DARPA and Lockheed Martin - like its previous flight test, the missile was able to fly at (3,300 mph; 5,300 km/h ) speed at the altitude of more than 60,000 ft (11 mi; 18 km) for more than 300 nautical miles (350 mi; 560 km), and demonstrated improved performances and capabilities. DARPA plans to further these technological improvements through More Opportunities with HAWC program (MOHAWC).[8][9][10]
Technology developed for the HAWC demonstrator was used to influence the design of the Hypersonic Attack Cruise Missile (HACM), a U.S. Air Force Program of Record to create a scramjet-powered hypersonic missile it could deploy as an operational weapon.[11] The contract to develop HACM further was awarded to Raytheon in September 2022.[12] HACM will use a Northrop Grumman scramjet.[13][14]
References
- ↑ "Hypersonic Air-breathing Weapon Concept (HAWC)". https://www.darpa.mil/program/hypersonic-air-breathing-weapon-concept.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 "DARPA'S Hypersonic Air-breathing Weapon Concept (HAWC) Achieves Successful Flight". https://www.darpa.mil/news-events/2021-09-27. Retrieved January 9, 2022.
- ↑ Andrew Knoedler. "Hypersonic Air-breathing Weapon Concept (HAWC)". https://www.darpa.mil/program/hypersonic-air-breathing-weapon-concept.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 Oren Liebermann (5 April 2022). "US tested hypersonic missile in mid-March but kept it quiet to avoid escalating tensions with Russia". https://www.cnn.com/2022/04/04/politics/us-hypersonic-missile-test/index.html.
- ↑ "US conducts second successful HAWC hypersonic test". https://www.flightglobal.com/defence/us-conducts-second-successful-hawc-hypersonic-test/148163.article.
- ↑ Kelley M. Sayler (5 May 2022). "Hypersonic Weapons: Background and Issues for Congress". Congressional Research Service. https://sgp.fas.org/crs/weapons/R45811.pdf.
- ↑ "Third Test Flight for DARPA's HAWC Yields New Performance Data". 18 July 2022. https://www.darpa.mil/news-events/2022-07-18.
- ↑ "Missile hypersonique américain HAWC" (in fr). 2023-01-31. https://air-cosmos.com/article/missile-hypersonique-americain-hawc-64123.
- ↑ "Final Flight of HAWC Program Screams Through the Sky". https://www.darpa.mil/news-events/2023-01-30.
- ↑ "Hypersonic Air-Breathing Weapon Concept (HAWC), USA" (in en-US). https://www.airforce-technology.com/projects/hypersonic-air-breathing-weapon-concept-hawc-usa/.
- ↑ Successful HAWC Test Doesn’t End DARPA’s Hypersonic Scramjet Efforts. Air Force Magazine. 22 July 2022.
- ↑ Losey, Stephen (2022-09-22). "Raytheon wins $985M contract to develop hypersonic missiles" (in en). https://www.defensenews.com/air/2022/09/22/raytheon-wins-985m-contract-to-develop-hypersonic-missiles/.
- ↑ "Raytheon/Northrop Grumman team selected for HACM hypersonic weapon" (in en). https://www.janes.com/osint-insights/defence-news/weapons/raytheonnorthrop-grumman-team-selected-for-hacm-hypersonic-weapon.
- ↑ "US Air Force Selects Raytheon Missiles & Defense, Northrop Grumman to Deliver First Hypersonic Air-Breathing Missile" (in en). https://news.northropgrumman.com/news/releases/us-air-force-selects-raytheon-missiles-defense-northrop-grumman-to-deliver-first-hypersonic-air-breathing-missile.
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