- What it is: Dark Eagle is the official name for the U.S. Army’s Long-Range Hypersonic Weapon (LRHW)—a ground‑launched, boost‑glide missile using the Common Hypersonic Glide Body (C‑HGB) and a Navy‑developed two‑stage booster. Congress.gov
- Range (reported): ~1,725 miles (2,775 km). The Army and CRS describe this as a reported figure, not a formally released spec. Congress.gov
- Battery makeup: Each LRHW battery has 4 transporter‑erector‑launchers (TELs), each with 2 missiles, plus a Battery Operations Center (BOC) and support vehicle (8 missiles total). Congress.gov
- Official name: The Army formally designated LRHW as “Dark Eagle” on April 24, 2025. Congress.gov
- Prime/system roles: Lockheed Martin is LRHW system integrator; Dynetics/Leidos produces C‑HGB prototypes; the missile is the common All‑Up‑Round shared with the Navy’s Conventional Prompt Strike (CPS) program. Seapower
- Recent tests: DOD conducted successful end‑to‑end AUR tests June 28, 2024 (Hawaii) and Dec. 12, 2024 (Cape Canaveral). doncio.navy.mil
- Fielding timeline: After earlier delays, the Army stated it will field the first LRHW unit by the end of FY2025; CRS reported the same planning intent. Defense News
- Latest milestone: An Army official said the first Dark Eagle tactical missile has been delivered to Joint Base Lewis‑McChord (Washington) in August 2025. National Defense Magazine
- First overseas employment: LRHW battery deployed to Australia for Exercise Talisman Sabre 25—the system’s first operational employment outside CONUS. Army
- What’s still under review: DOT&E notes insufficient lethality data to fully assess effectiveness; more representative targets are being added to testing. Dote
- Budget snapshot: FY2025 Army budget shows $744.178M in Missile Procurement for LRHW (line item). Office of the Under Secretary of Defense
- Industrial base: GAO highlights steps to expand rocket‑motor suppliers, including a $64M award to add capacity for LRHW/CPS. Government Accountability Office
- Navy tie‑in: The same missile (AUR) will arm Zumwalt‑class destroyers in the mid‑2020s and Virginia‑class submarines in the early 2030s. Government Accountability Office
In‑depth report
What Dark Eagle is—and why it matters
Dark Eagle is a mobile, land‑based hypersonic strike system designed to hit high‑payoff, time‑sensitive targets deep inside anti‑access/area‑denial (A2/AD) zones. The Army describes LRHW as providing “a strategic attack weapon system to defeat A2/AD, suppress adversary long‑range fires, and engage … high payoff/time‑critical targets.” Congress.gov
Technically, Dark Eagle couples a two‑stage, ~34.5‑inch booster to the Common Hypersonic Glide Body. The booster provides initial energy; the unpowered glide body then maneuvers at hypersonic speed along a low‑trajectory path that complicates detection and interception. The result is speed + maneuverability, not just raw velocity. Congress.gov
Expert view — Army RCCTO: “The responsiveness, maneuverability and survivability of hypersonic weapons is unmatched by traditional strike capabilities … especially in anti‑access/area denial environments.” — Lt. Gen. Robert A. Rasch. ssp.navy.mil
How it’s organized and deployed
A battery fields four TELs (two canisters each), a BOC, and a BOC support vehicle—eight missiles ready to fire. The first unit is the 5th Battalion, 3rd Field Artillery Regiment within the 1st Multi‑Domain Task Force (MDTF) at Joint Base Lewis‑McChord (JBLM), Washington. Naming became official on April 24, 2025, when the Army designated LRHW as Dark Eagle. Congress.gov
In July 2025, a Dark Eagle battery deployed to Northern Territory, Australia for Talisman Sabre 25, marking the system’s first operational employment outside the continental U.S.—a strong signal about the program’s intended role in the Indo‑Pacific. Army
What changed between delays and deployment
LRHW’s schedule slipped from an original FY2023 goal after a string of aborted or failed tests tied largely to launcher‑missile integration issues. GAO summarized the pivot point this way:
GAO: “The Army delayed delivery—planned for fiscal year 2023—to at least late fiscal year 2024 due to difficulties discovered in flight testing.” Government Accountability Office
Two successful ‘end‑to‑end’ flights in 2024 turned momentum. DOD announced a June 28 test from PMRF, Hawaii and a Dec. 12 launch from Cape Canaveral, the latter explicitly billed as an Army‑Navy success and the first live‑fire event for LRHW using an actual TEL and BOC. Army Secretary Christine Wormuth said the Cape test “…demonstrates that we can put this capability in the hands of the warfighter.” doncio.navy.mil
By February 26, 2025, the Army told reporters it intended to field LRHW by the end of FY2025, a timeline echoed by CRS. In August 2025, a PEO Missiles & Space official said the first Dark Eagle tactical missile had been delivered to JBLM, consistent with a late‑FY2025 fielding push. Defense News
Program lead perspective: “We could continue to test it forever, but we had the big testing event to allow Army leaders to move forward.” — Lt. Gen. Robert Rasch. Breaking Defense
What it costs—and why that’s complicated
Procurement: The Army’s FY2025 budget includes $744.178M under Missile Procurement for LRHW. RDT&E for hypersonics appears under PE 0605232A. Office of the Under Secretary of Defense
Per‑missile cost: Public estimates vary and are not yet fixed. CRS cites CBO’s $41M per missile estimate for an LRHW‑like IR boost‑glide weapon (2023 dollars), stressing this is an analytic estimate, not a program actual. GAO likewise notes that hypersonic costs are hard to estimate given limited historical data. Congress.gov
Industrial base: To reduce risk, DOD funded additional rocket‑motor capacity, including a $64M award to bring on a second supplier for LRHW/CPS. Government Accountability Office
What remains under debate or development
Lethality evidence. DOT&E’s FY2024 reporting cautions:
DOT&E: “Initial CPS sled and flight tests did not include operationally representative targets and consequently provided no direct validation of the weapon’s lethal effects.” Dote
The Navy and Army are now incorporating more representative targets and processing new lethality data; DOT&E will update assessments as those data mature. Dote
Joint path with the Navy. The LRHW missile (AUR) is common with the Navy’s CPS, expected on Zumwalt‑class destroyers in the mid‑2020s and Virginia‑class submarines in the early 2030s, a joint approach intended to accelerate delivery and share costs. Government Accountability Office
Prime contractors, partners, and who does what
- Lockheed Martin: LRHW system integrator and major CPS integrator. Seapower
- Dynetics/Leidos: Produces C‑HGB prototypes. Congress.gov
- U.S. Navy Strategic Systems Programs: Co‑developer of the common AUR and CPS integrator for sea‑based platforms. ssp.navy.mil
Where Dark Eagle fits in the U.S. arsenal
LRHW complements the Army’s other long‑range fires (e.g., Mid‑Range Capability and PrSM) by adding a maneuvering, high‑speed option at the longest conventional ranges. As the program transitions from RCCTO to PEO Missiles & Space, the Army is building toward multiple batteries (a second battery is planned for FY2026), while refining the digital kill chain that links sensors to shooters. National Defense Magazine
Expert quotes you can use
- Christine Wormuth, Secretary of the Army: “…demonstrates that we can put this capability in the hands of the warfighter.” ssp.navy.mil
- Lt. Gen. Robert A. Rasch (RCCTO): “The responsiveness, maneuverability and survivability of hypersonic weapons is unmatched … especially in A2/AD environments.” ssp.navy.mil
- GAO (2024): “The Army delayed delivery—planned for fiscal year 2023—to at least late fiscal year 2024 due to difficulties discovered in flight testing.” Government Accountability Office
- DOT&E (FY2024): “Initial CPS sled and flight tests did not include operationally representative targets … [so] no direct validation of the weapon’s lethal effects.” Dote
- GAO (cost): Hypersonic weapon costs are “difficult to estimate” given limited historical data. Government Accountability Office
What to watch next (as of Sept. 19, 2025)
- Fielding decision & IOC: Army said the first unit will field by Sept. 30, 2025 (end of FY2025); an initial tactical missile has already been delivered to JBLM. Defense News
- Second battery: Army planning points to FY2026 for a second Dark Eagle battery. Army Recognition
- Navy CPS milestones: Watch for Zumwalt integration events and Virginia‑class milestones, since LRHW’s missile is common with CPS. Government Accountability Office
- DOT&E updates: Expect lethality and suitability judgments to firm up as 2025–2026 test data are analyzed. Dote
Sources & further reading
- Congressional Research Service (CRS): The U.S. Army’s Long‑Range Hypersonic Weapon (LRHW): Dark Eagle — concise program overview, range, organization, battery composition, recent test history, and formal naming. Congress.gov
- U.S. Navy Strategic Systems Programs (SSP): Dec. 12, 2024 press release on the successful end‑to‑end test with quotes from Army and Navy leadership. ssp.navy.mil
- Government Accountability Office (GAO): Hypersonic Weapons: DOD Could Reduce Cost and Schedule Risks… (July 29, 2024) — test failures, integration issues, schedule, cost‑risk analysis, and industrial base steps. Government Accountability Office
- DOT&E FY2024: LRHW/CPS sections — lethality/effectiveness data gaps and test‑resource considerations. Dote+1
- Defense News (Feb. 26, 2025): Army confirms intent to field by end of FY2025. Defense News
- National Defense (Aug. 6, 2025): Program transition to PEO Missiles & Space, first tactical missile delivered to JBLM, and remarks from LTG Rasch. National Defense Magazine
- Army.mil (Aug. 2, 2025): LRHW participation in Talisman Sabre 25 in Australia—first operational employment outside CONUS. Army
- DOD P‑1 (FY2025): LRHW procurement funding line. Office of the Under Secretary of Defense
Bottom line
Dark Eagle is moving from a turbulent test phase into initial fielding, backed by two end‑to‑end successes, a common missile with the Navy, and a first overseas deployment during exercises. Key questions ahead involve final lethality validation, production pacing, and operational integration—but the first tactical delivery and the Army’s FY2025 fielding target signal that hypersonic land‑attack capability is finally at hand. ssp.navy.mil
