AGM-183A ARRW

History

The AGM-183A Air-launched Rapid Response Weapon (ARRW) is a US Air Force hypersonic glide vehicle developed by Lockheed Martin. A solid-fuel rocket booster accelerates the weapon to speeds exceeding Mach 5, after which it separates from the hypersonic glide vehicle, which continues flight to the target. The missile is designed to strike high-value targets requiring rapid response at long range, including in areas with developed air defense systems.

Lockheed Martin began development in 2018. The early test program encountered setbacks, including three failed booster tests in 2021 and a launch failure in December 2021. In March 2022, the Air Force dropped plans to procure ARRW in fiscal year 2023. The first fully assembled all-up-round test in December 2022 was declared a success, although range sensor malfunctions limited data collection during the terminal phase. In March 2023, the Air Force indicated it could end the program without purchasing production missiles and was at that point more committed to the Hypersonic Attack Cruise Missile; a shroud malfunction during that test prevented data collection for the glide and terminal phases, and Air Force Secretary Frank Kendall characterized it as "not a success" before lawmakers. Tests in August and October 2023 achieved nominal conditions including glide vehicle flight and warhead detonation. A final test was conducted on 17 March 2024 from a B-52H Stratofortress departing Andersen Air Force Base, Guam, toward the Reagan Test Site in the Marshall Islands.

The Air Force subsequently resumed the program. In 2025, Air Force leadership informed Congress of its intent to procure ARRW, and $362 million was allocated in the fiscal year 2026 budget for purchases. On 29 September, the Air Force signed a $694 million contract with Lockheed Martin under the Enterprise-Wide Agile Acquisition program to transition the program from prototype and flight testing to serial production and deployment. The missiles are intended for use from B-52H Stratofortress bombers, with testing from the B-1B Lancer also planned. The Air Force has not disclosed the quantity ordered or the delivery schedule, citing operational security requirements.