The Air Force has notified Lockheed Martin (LM) Space, in Huntsville, AL, that the Hypersonic Conventional Strike Weapon (HCSW) development contract has been terminated for convenience, indicating no fault on the part of LM, but that the Air Force wants to shift funding to other programs.
Instead, the Air Force will fund the AGM-183 Air-Launch Rapid Response Weapon (ARRW), also a LM project, but managed by Lockheed Missiles and Fire Control in Orlando, FL.
The Air Force will close out the HCSW in March after a schedule critical design review. The ARRW contract, valued at up to $998 million, was awarded in December.
Air Force spokesperson, Ann Stefanek, explained ARRW is “on track for an early operational capability in fiscal year 2022,” She added, it offers “a unique glide body design as compared to other” hypersonic prototyping concepts.