The Air Force said Monday that it conducted the first successful test of its air-launched hypersonic missile off the coast of southern California last week.
A B-52H Stratofortress bomber released the prototype AGM-183A Air-launched Rapid Response Weapon (ARRW) on Friday, the Air Force said in a statement.
The hypersonic missile reached speeds greater than five times the speed of sound and completed its flight path before detonating in the test area. An initial review indicated that all the objectives were met, officials said.
The ARRW test was carried out by the Air Force’s 412th Test Wing at Edwards Air Force Base in California.