Pentagon cancels flight test of first US hypersonic missile
According to the media, the decision raises questions about the program’s schedule and whether the US Army can meet its goal of declaring the weapon initially combat capable by September 30
NEW YORK, September 7. /TASS/. The Pentagon has decided to scrap a test of the US Army’s first hypersonic weapon, the Defense Department told Bloomberg.
"The department planned to conduct a flight test at the Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, Florida to inform our hypersonic technology development but as a result of pre-flight checks the test did not occur," the Pentagon said in a statement.
The defense agency did not say why the test had been canceled. According to Bloomberg, the decision raises questions about the program’s schedule and whether the US Army can meet its goal of declaring the weapon initially combat capable by September 30.
In the statement, the Pentagon also said that, even without the flight test, it "was able to successfully collect data on the performance of the ground hardware and software that will inform the continued progress toward fielding offensive hypersonic weapons."