U.S. Faces Delays in Hypersonic Weapon Development Amid Competition with China and Russia

Delays in testing and development, along with program changes and limited testing facilities, have raised concerns within the Pentagon. China and Russia have already deployed hypersonic systems, which could provide them an advantage in potential conflicts.

Hypersonic weapons travel at high speeds and can maneuver in flight, making them harder to detect and intercept than traditional missiles. Unlike ballistic missiles, they can alter direction mid-flight and operate at lower altitudes, reducing warning times for defenses.

Russia has used such weapons in its conflict with Ukraine.

Programs U.S. hypersonic programs have experienced uneven progress, with some advancing toward deployment while others have been canceled and later revived. Technical challenges include designing systems to withstand extreme heat and pressure at high speeds.

The Pentagon has pursued advanced features like high maneuverability and precision strikes, adding complexity. Testing capacity is limited, with few facilities able to simulate hypersonic conditions, leading to delays in evaluating and refining systems.

Mark Bigham, vice president of defense programs at Longshot, a company involved in hypersonic technologies, and a former Raytheon executive, stated that testing is a key bottleneck. He noted that innovation occurs quickly, but testing is necessary to validate designs, and only a handful of facilities are available.

“I would say the testing is probably the bottleneck right now," he said. The program uses a shared glide body for Army and Navy systems to streamline development. The Air Force has revived its air-launched rapid response weapon program after earlier test setbacks, requesting about $387 million in fiscal 2026 for procurement. A Government Accountability Office review found the Air Force’s hypersonic attack cruise missile program delayed a key design milestone by six months, pushing back flight testing by about a year and reducing planned test flights. The U.S. is also investing in defenses against hypersonic threats. In April, the Missile Defense Agency awarded approximately $475 million to Northrop Grumman to accelerate development of an interceptor for hypersonic weapons, aiming for initial operational capability in the early 2030s. This includes efforts to build a space-based tracking network to detect such missiles.”

hypersonic research led in the 2000s but shifted priorities toward counterterrorism, with inconsistent funding until recently. Strict safety and reliability requirements extend timelines compared to adversaries that may deploy systems faster. The Pentagon's latest budget emphasizes missile defense, drones, and other capabilities, with hypersonic efforts included in broader accounts.

The Pentagon did not immediately respond to requests for comment on these developments. Concerns persist about scaling these systems quickly enough to match competitors.