The US Army announced on Wednesday, July 17, the successful and much-anticipated debut of its Long-Range Hypersonic Weapon (LRHW) battery at Exercise Resolute Hunter 24-2.
This participation represents a significant step forward for the service’s hypersonic program.
According to its press release, the LRHW Battery—a unit within the 1st Multi-Domain Task Force (MDTF)—has demonstrated its ability to successfully “integrate with higher joint echelons and sustain operations over an extended period.”
Led by the Bravo Battery, 5th Battalion, 3rd Field Artillery (Long Range Fires Battalion), 1MDTF, they seamlessly collaborate with other military branches for over 72 hours to showcase the LRHW digital kill chain and provide real-time situational awareness to the joint command post.
“Exercise Resolute Hunter 24-2 demonstrated the critical role of Landpower and the Army’s indispensable contribution to joint operations,” said Captain Jennifer Lee, commander of Bravo Battery, 5-3 FA (LRFB), 1MDTF. “I’m proud of our team’s commitment to excellence and their ability to adapt and innovate in a complex and dynamic training scenario.”
Defense contractor Lockheed Martin secured a $756 million contract earlier this year to deliver additional LRHW battery systems to the Army.
The Army’s Long-Range Hypersonic Weapon System
For years, the Army has poured its energy into developing the technological marvel that is the LRHW system.
It is designed to launch from mobile ground platforms and deploys the common hypersonic All Up Round (AUR) developed by the Navy’s Conventional Prompt Strike program.
This cutting-edge missile boasts an operational range exceeding 3,800 miles (6,115 kilometers) per hour and can reach the upper atmosphere, potentially evading enemy defenses.
The LRHW is specifically designed to engage high-value, time-sensitive targets with unparalleled speed and precision.
It can also defeat anti-access/area denial (A2/D2) capabilities and suppress adversary long-range fires.
Soldiers have been instrumental in LRHW’s development, actively contributing to the prototyping process since 2019.
When the service received the system in March 2021, they spent the next two years training Soldiers, developing tactics, and fielding the equipment. This culminated in a successful long-range deployment in February 2023, showcasing the system’s rapid deployment capability.
Resolute Hunter marks the latest chapter in the unit’s ongoing development, following participation in several joint exercises.
Colonel Charles Kean, commander of the 1MDTF, emphasized the significance of the exercise, stating:
“These scenarios provide invaluable training that strengthens the integration of MDTF capabilities within the broader Joint All-Domain construct.”
The Naval Aviation Warfighting Development Center (NAWDC) at Naval Air Station Fallon, Nevada, hosted Resolute Hunter, a major bi-annual joint training exercise on the base from June 25 to 27, 2024.
This grueling exercise is the Department of Defense’s premier event dedicated to honing Battle Management, Command and Control, Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance (BMC2ISR) skills.
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