Army trims LRHW prototype funding in FY-22 by 40%

摘要

The Army is proposing $300 million in fiscal year 2022 for the Long Range Hypersonic Weapon development effort, a 40% reduction compared to $526 million the service previously projected it would require in FY-22. A major portion of planned FY-22 funds are being diverted to finance another priority - the Medium Range Capability missile - as well as administrative efforts to transition LRHW to a formal program of record. Separately, the service's FY-22 budget submission also maps out for the first time plans for two additional LRHW batteries after delivery of an initial prototype unit in FY-23 as well as designs to acquire additional missiles and hypersonic glide bodies to build reserves for re-loading the ultra-fast, maneuvering weapons. The LRHW program is a major Army prototyping project that aims to re-purpose a Navy hypersonic booster - being developed by Lockheed Martin - for use on a road-mobile system, to give ground forces a conventionally armed strategic system for the opening salvos of a major fight.